Innovative gastric procedure at UT Physicians gives patient a new lease on life


By Simone Sonnier, UT Physicians
June 23, 2023

Tyrone Dallas is living pain-free now, following his life-changing surgery from Dr. Pritesh Mutha.

Tyrone Dallas is living pain-free now, following his life-changing surgery from Dr. Pritesh Mutha. (Photo by Simone Sonnier/UT Physicians)

Tyrone Dallas can now lay his head on a pillow and have a good night’s rest — something so ordinary, but he doesn’t take it for granted. Before meeting Pritesh Mutha, MD, gastroenterologist with UT Physicians, Dallas couldn’t do a lot of everyday things due to his diabetic gastroparesis.

“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.

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