Definition:
Gastric dumping syndrome, otherwise known as rapid gastric emptying, occurs when the small intestine's lower end, called the jejunum, fills up too fast with undigested food routed from the stomach. Rapid gastric emptying is experienced in two forms: early dumping commences after the meal or during the meal, while late dumping occurs about 1 to 3 hours after the meal. Early dumping is usually linked to difficulty in digesting fats. Late dumping, on the other hand, is associated with difficulty in digesting carbohydrates.
Treatment:
To avoid rapid gastric emptying, people must avoid food that triggers its occurrence. Treatment, as such, involves both a change in eating habits with supplementary medication. Patients are advised to take several small meals in a day, which are low in carbohydrate content, and to drink liquids between and not during the meal.
Medication includes cholestyramine or proton pump inhibitors.
Symptoms and Signs:
Early dumping is coupled with symptoms like bloating, cramping, diarrhea, dizziness, fatigue, and vomiting. Late dumpingis usually accompanied by dizziness, sweating, and a general feeling of weakness.
Those who suffer from this disorder are also likely to suffer from hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar). This results from the fact that rapid gastric emptying triggers the release of excessive volumes of insulin from the pancreas into the bloodstream.
Causes:
Gastric dumping syndrome is likely to happen in patients who have had stomach surgery, including gastrectomy or a gastric bypass surgery, facilitating the stomach's rapid emptying. This syndrome may also manifest due to complications due to cholecystectomy and esophagectomy.
Patients suffering from Zollinger-Ellison syndrome and Ehlers- Danlos syndrome have increased likelihood of contracting Gastric dumping syndrome.
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