Gastroparesis Essay

When severe weight loss and restricted eating occurs, the body loses fat, leading to a weakening of the stomach muscles and damage to the extrinsic and intrinsic nerves. The extrinsic nerves connect the digestive organs to the spinal cord and brain, while the intrinsic nerves control the digestion and passing of food. Brown and Mehler (2015) have found that with weakened stomach muscles and damaged nerves, gastrointestinal complications arise and once the body weight is less than 15-20 percent of the ideal body weight, gastroparesis develops (p. 12). As the patient’s weight drops to dangerously low levels, the gastrointestinal system is compromised, making it susceptible to conditions like gastroparesis. Gastroparesis is the weakening of the stomach muscle, which results in the …show more content…
Furthermore, gastroparesis can lead to acute gastric dilation. Adolescent medicine specialists, Campbell and Peebles (2014) from Children's Hospital of Philadelphia have found acute gastric dilation “is an extreme result of delayed gastric emptying. If this diagnosis is missed, the massive dilation of the stomach can result in gastric necrosis, perforation and death” (p. 586). While acute gastric dilation is uncommon, Campbell and Peebles (2014) point out it can occur and when it does, the outcome can be deadly. Additionally, acute gastric dilatation is difficult to diagnose because complaints of abdominal pain are common in anorexic adolescents and unless an abdominal X-ray is taken, acute gastric dilation can go undetected. Jauregui-Garrido and Jauregui-Lobera (2012) concurred with Campbell and Peebles (2014) findings and stress that once acute gastric dilation is diagnosed, surgical intervention is essential in preventing harmful complications and possibly death (p. 94). Since acute gastric dilation is life-threatening and cannot heal on its own, surgery is crucial for the patient’s