Researchers studied 311 people with gastroparesis—a condition where the stomach doesn’t empty food properly—to see if a small electrical device implanted in the stomach could help them eat regular meals. Some patients also used feeding tubes to get nutrition directly into their intestines. After one year, patients with the electrical stimulation device felt much less nausea and vomiting, and could tolerate normal food better, whether or not they used feeding tubes. This suggests the electrical device works well for helping people with this difficult digestive problem eat more normally.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: Does a small electrical device placed in the stomach help people with gastroparesis (slow stomach emptying) eat normal food and feel less sick, especially if they also use feeding tubes?
  • Who participated: 311 people with gastroparesis symptoms (mostly women, average age 44). Some had the condition from unknown causes, some from diabetes, and some from previous stomach surgery. About one-third used feeding tubes.
  • Key finding: Both groups—those with and without feeding tubes—had significant relief from nausea and vomiting after receiving the electrical stimulation device, and both groups could tolerate regular food much better after one year.
  • What it means for you: If you have gastroparesis and struggle to eat normal food, this electrical device may help you feel better and eat more normally. Having a feeding tube doesn’t prevent the device from working. However, talk to your doctor about whether this treatment is right for your specific situation.

The Research Details

Researchers followed 311 patients with gastroparesis over one year to see how they responded to gastric electrical stimulation (GES)—a device that sends gentle electrical pulses to the stomach to help it work better. This was a prospective study, meaning researchers tracked patients forward in time rather than looking back at past records. The study was open-label, meaning both doctors and patients knew they were receiving the treatment (there was no hidden placebo group for comparison). Patients were divided into two main groups: those who also used feeding tubes (J-tubes) that deliver nutrition directly to the small intestine, and those who didn’t use feeding tubes. Researchers measured how much nausea, vomiting, and stomach discomfort patients had before and after one year of treatment, plus how well they could tolerate regular food and their overall quality of life.

This study design is important because it shows real-world results in a large group of patients with different types of gastroparesis. By comparing patients with and without feeding tubes, researchers could determine whether having a feeding tube prevents the electrical device from working—an important practical question for doctors deciding on treatment. The large sample size (311 patients) makes the findings more reliable than smaller studies.

Strengths: This is a large study with 311 participants, which makes the results more trustworthy. Researchers followed patients for a full year, allowing time to see real improvements. The study included different types of gastroparesis patients, making results more applicable to different people. Limitations: This was not a randomized controlled trial (the gold standard), so there’s no comparison group that didn’t receive treatment. Patients and doctors knew they were receiving treatment, which could influence how they reported symptoms. The study doesn’t tell us how the device compares to other treatments or medications.

What the Results Show

The main finding was that patients in both groups—those with feeding tubes and those without—experienced significant relief from nausea, vomiting, and upper stomach discomfort after receiving the electrical stimulation device. This improvement was substantial enough to be considered clinically meaningful, meaning patients actually felt noticeably better in their daily lives. Both groups also showed considerable improvement in their ability to tolerate and eat regular food, moving away from the limited, high-sugar diet that many gastroparesis patients are forced to eat. Patients were able to maintain their body weight with the device, whether or not they continued using feeding tubes. The electrical device was well-tolerated in both groups, meaning patients didn’t experience serious problems from having it implanted.

Beyond the main findings, patients in both groups showed improvements in their overall quality of life and nutritional status. The study found that having a feeding tube did not prevent the electrical device from working effectively—both groups responded similarly to the treatment. This is important because it means doctors don’t need to remove feeding tubes before trying this electrical therapy. Some patients were able to reduce or stop using their feeding tubes after the device started working, though the study doesn’t specify how many achieved this.

Previous research suggested that gastroparesis patients struggle to eat normal, balanced meals and often resort to high-sugar, easy-to-digest foods because regular food causes too much discomfort. This study confirms that electrical stimulation can help patients return to more normal eating patterns. The finding that feeding tubes don’t interfere with the device’s effectiveness is new and important information that wasn’t clearly established before. This research adds to growing evidence that gastric electrical stimulation is a useful treatment option for people whose gastroparesis doesn’t respond to medications.

The study doesn’t include a control group of patients who didn’t receive the device, so we can’t be completely certain the improvements came from the device rather than other factors like natural improvement over time or placebo effect. The study is open-label, meaning patients knew they were receiving treatment, which can influence how they report symptoms. The research doesn’t compare the electrical device to other treatments or medications. We don’t know how long the benefits last beyond one year. The study included mostly women (257 out of 311), so results may not apply equally to men.

The Bottom Line

If you have gastroparesis that hasn’t improved with medications, gastric electrical stimulation appears to be a promising treatment option. The evidence suggests it can significantly reduce nausea and vomiting and help you eat more normal food. Having a feeding tube should not prevent you from trying this treatment. Discuss with your gastroenterologist whether you’re a good candidate for this device. Confidence level: Moderate—this is a large study with good results, but it lacks a comparison group, so more research would strengthen these findings.

This research is most relevant for people with gastroparesis (especially those whose symptoms don’t improve with medication), their families, and their doctors. People with idiopathic gastroparesis (unknown cause), diabetes-related gastroparesis, or post-surgical gastroparesis may all benefit. This is less relevant for people with mild gastroparesis symptoms that are well-controlled with diet or medication. People with certain heart conditions or other contraindications to implanted devices should discuss this with their doctor.

Based on this study, you should expect to see meaningful improvements in nausea, vomiting, and food tolerance within the first year after the device is implanted. Some patients may notice improvements sooner, while others may take several months. The study followed patients for one year, so we don’t know if benefits continue beyond that timeframe—ask your doctor about long-term follow-up.

Want to Apply This Research?

  • Track daily nausea and vomiting episodes (0-10 scale) and note which foods you can tolerate. Record your weight weekly. This creates a clear before-and-after picture to share with your doctor and helps identify which foods work best for you.
  • Start a food diary documenting what you eat, portion sizes, and any symptoms that follow. Use the app to gradually expand the variety of foods you try as your symptoms improve. Set reminders to eat regular meals rather than just high-sugar foods when you feel able to eat.
  • Create a monthly summary view showing trends in symptom severity, weight stability, and dietary variety. Compare your current month to previous months to visualize progress. Share these trends with your healthcare team at appointments to track long-term effectiveness of your treatment.

This research describes a medical treatment that requires professional evaluation and implantation by qualified healthcare providers. Gastroparesis is a serious medical condition that should be diagnosed and managed by a gastroenterologist or similar specialist. The findings presented here suggest gastric electrical stimulation may help some patients, but individual results vary. This information is not a substitute for medical advice—always consult your doctor before considering any new treatment. Not all patients are candidates for this device due to other health conditions or contraindications. This study was conducted over one year; long-term safety and effectiveness beyond this timeframe require further research.