Gastric Outlet Obstruction

Carcinoid Tumours


A blockage of the passage from the stomach to the small intestine is known as a gastric outlet obstruction (GOO) or pyloric obstruction. According to Dr. Sanjoy Mandal, who is a renowned gastrointestinal surgeon in Kolkata, it may completely or partially obstruct food flow and may prevent food from being digested. Problems with adjacent tissue induce the blockage, including:

  • Swelling from pancreas or peptic ulcer
  • Abnormal or excessive tissue growth, such as scar tissue caused by a peptic ulcer or cancerous growth

Causes of Gastric Outlet Obstruction

Peptic ulcer disease, caustic ingestion, gastric polyps, pyloric stenosis, gallstone blockage (Bouveret syndrome), congenital duodenal webs, pancreatic pseudocysts, and bezoars are the most common benign causes of GOO.

In the paediatric population, pyloric stenosis is the most common cause of GOO. Pyloric stenosis affects one out of every 750 babies born. Boys are more likely to have it than girls.

The most frequent cancer that causes GOO is pancreatic cancer. As per the best gastroenterology surgeon in Kolkata, in 10-20% of individuals with pancreatic cancer, outlet obstruction occurs. Ampullary cancer, duodenal cancer, cholangiocarcinoma, and gastric cancer are all tumours that can cause gastric outlet obstruction.

Symptoms of Gastric Outlet Obstruction

Patients get intermittent symptoms that worsen until the obstruction is removed. Vomiting is the most common symptom. Patients may initially have a higher tolerance for liquids than solid foods. Patients may experience considerable weight loss as a result of inadequate calorie intake at a later stage.

Malnutrition is a late symptom, but it can be severe in people who are also suffering from cancer. Continuous vomiting during the acute or chronic stages of blockage can cause dehydration and electrolyte imbalances, says the best gastro surgeon in Kolkata.

Patients may acquire severe and increasing stomach dilatation if the obstruction persists. The stomach eventually loses its ability to contract.

Treatment of Gastric Obstruction

Request a surgical consultation if gastric outlet blockage (GOO) is suspected by the gastroenterologist in Kolkata. If imaging investigations or endoscopy reveal that acute inflammation and oedema are the primary causes of the outlet obstruction, GOO owing to benign ulcer disease, may be treated medically (as opposed to scarring and fibrosis, which may be fixed).

If medicinal therapy fails to relieve the obstruction after a reasonable period of time, surgical intervention may be necessary. Surgical intervention is usually required if resolution or improvement is not apparent within 48-72 hours. The surgical procedure chosen is determined by the patient’s health condition. According to the top gastro surgeon in Kolkata, vagotomy and antrectomy are used as the gold standard against which the efficacy of other surgeries is compared.

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