Development of a novel diagnostic medical device to assess gastric motility.

The stomach has a specific motor pattern before, during and after food intake. Impaired gastric motility is an important pathophysiological factor in patients with dyspeptic symptoms. It is however not possible to readily assess gastric motility in these patients. Patients who seek medical care do not get to know the origin of their symptoms and the available treatment options for these patients are controversial and often disappointing. In this project we will develop, based on years of research at the KU Leuven, a novel diagnostic medical device that can readily assess gastric motility in every day clinical practice. The final prototype will be tested in different clinical studies: first in healthy volunteers, thereafter in patients. If successful this medical device will allow the clinician to propose efficient treatment and make a difference in thousand s of patients with dyspepsia.

Keywords:dyspepsia, gastroparesis, balloon catheter, clinical trial, Stomach function

Disciplines:Gastro-enterology and hepatology