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Disorders of the Liver and Biliary Tract 

Nutrition for Healthy Digestion  

Gastroparesis

Terms You Should Know 

  • Belching : Release of excess intestinal gas through the mouth. Also called burping. 
    Bowel movement : When body waste ( faeces) is discharged from the rectum and anus
    Diarrhoea : Frequent loose or watery bowel movements.
    Digestion : The process of breaking down foods into smaller components that the body can absorb to use for energy, growth and cell repair. 
    Dyspepsia : Upper abdominal discomfort often due to disorders of the stomach, upper small intestine, biliary tract, liver or pancreas.
    Gastric : Pertaining to the stomach. 
    Gastritis : Inflammation of the lining of the stomach. 
    Indigestion : A nonspecific term that refers to upper abdominal discomfort (dyspepsia).
    Nausea : An unpleasant sensation in the abdomen, which may be followed by vomiting. 
    Sphincter :A circular band of muscle that opens and closes to allow food or waste to pass. 
    Stenosis : See stricture
    Stomach : A muscular, sac-like organ that churns and breaks food into small pieces. 
    Vomit :The forceful ejection of stomach contents through the mouth. 

Introduction 

'Gastro' means stomach, 'paresis' means weakness or paralysis, therefore gastroparesis means paralysis of the stomach. However, gastroparesis is the medical term for delayed stomach emptying. The stomach is hollow organ composed primarily of muscles and serves as a storage container for food. The stomach has two parts. The upper portion is called the fundus which is where swallowed food and liquid collect. The lower portion s called the antrum where food is churned until it is broken into small fragments and then pushed out into the duodenum, the first part of the small intestine. 

In the upper portion of the stomach is an area called the pacemaker. From here electrical waves originate and then sweep across the stomach. These electrical waves cause the muscle in the stomach to contract. The waves sweep down across the antrum causing it to contract, grind the food, and expel small amounts into the first part of the small intestine. 
This process of churning allows the food to be well mixed with the digestive juices and to be digested and absorbed well. When the stomach muscles are paralysed, food is not thoroughly grounded and does not empty into the intestine normally. During the process of digestion, the stomach must contract to empty itself of food and liquid. Normally, it contracts about three times a minute. This empties the stomach within 90-120 minutes after eating. If contractions are sluggish or less frequent, stomach emptying is delayed. 



Gastroparesis
Causes and Symptoms of Gastroparesis
Dietary Control of Gastroparesis
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