Innovative gastric procedure at UT Physicians gives patient a new lease on life
Tyrone Dallas is living pain-free now, following his life-changing surgery from Dr. Pritesh Mutha. (Photo by Simone Sonnier/UT Physicians)
“I couldn’t eat after 3 or 4 p.m., and I had to sleep sitting up on the couch every night,” he said. “Sometimes I had to eat, because I was so hungry, but that meant I wouldn’t be able to lie down until the next day. Then, I’d have to repeat that cycle all over again.”
Diabetic gastroparesis occurs when there is nerve damage to the stomach due to uncontrolled blood sugar. Dallas’ diagnosis caused him to experience severe symptoms, such as gastroesophageal reflux, nausea, vomiting, pain, and fatigue.
After reviewing his case, Mutha felt confident that undergoing a gastric peroral endoscopic myotomy (G-POEM) procedure could solve most, if not all, of Dallas’ symptoms. A G-POEM is a minimally invasive surgery that loosens the ring of muscle controlling the flow of stomach contents to the small intestine, allowing for food to pass through more freely.