In some of these cases a pacemaker can regulate the heartbeat. These small, battery-powered devices send an electrical signal to the heart through an electrode placed near the heart. The electrode regulates the heartbeat. In valve surgery or many other open heart procedures, blood is rerouted through a heart-lung machine. Sufferers, many of whom have diabetes, find eating and drinking causes nausea, vomiting and pain.
Some cases require IV nutrition.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently approved a new device that helps the stomach digest food. Similar to a pacemaker, the device, called Enterra, is implanted in the stomach and uses an electrode to shock the stomach every six seconds. It does not, however, cure gastroparesis. The kidneys eliminate waste products from the body, and once their ability drops below 10 percent of normal levels, dialysis or a kidney transplant is needed. The blood travels from the artery into the machine where electrolyte and pH levels are modified and various membranes remove some impurities.