Gastroptosis is a prolapse of the stomach.
The reasons
Prolapse of the stomach of varying degrees traditionally develops in individuals with a poorly trained anterior abdominal wall, with constant physical overstrain, and also in women who have given birth a lot. In extremely severe cases, prolapse of the stomach occurs in the small pelvis.
Symptoms
The patient has traditionally reduced appetite and often nausea. Some patients complain of pain in the region of the heart. Patients with constitutional prolapse of the stomach traditionally have concomitant prolapse of the intestines or kidneys, which is accompanied by constipation and pain in the lumbar region. Often such patients present many complaints of a neurotic nature. When examining the patient, sagging of the abdomen may be detected. Sometimes it is possible to feel through the anterior abdominal wall the lower surface of the stomach and the pylorus (the place where the stomach passes into the duodenum).
Diagnosis
X-ray examination with barium contrasting reveals a distended, elongated stomach, drooping of the borders of the stomach, accumulation of a contrast agent in the stomach. In addition, there is a decrease in motor activity of the stomach – hypotension. In the study of the functional activity of gastric juice, a decrease in the amount of hydrochloric acid or even its absence (achlorhydria) is often determined.
Treatment
The main method of treating gastroptosis is physiotherapy exercises aimed at strengthening the abdominal muscles. With a 30% degree of gastroptosis, a special set of exercises is prescribed under the guidance of an instructor in physiotherapy exercises.
Physiotherapy treatment, abdominal massage, underwater douche-massage are used. All patients are recommended a diet with frequent fractional meals. Food does not have to be rough and hard to digest. Sometimes it is prescribed to wear a medical bandage.
Surgical methods of treatment of gastroptosis are not often used due to frequent recurrences of gastroptosis after surgical treatment.