PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - N Zárate AU - F Mearin AU - X-Y Wang AU - B Hewlett AU - J D Huizinga AU - J-R Malagelada TI - Severe idiopathic gastroparesis due to neuronal and interstitial cells of Cajal degeneration: pathological findings and management AID - 10.1136/gut.52.7.966 DP - 2003 Jul 01 TA - Gut PG - 966--970 VI - 52 IP - 7 4099 - http://gut.bmj.com/content/52/7/966.short 4100 - http://gut.bmj.com/content/52/7/966.full SO - Gut2003 Jul 01; 52 AB - Delayed gastric emptying can be due to muscular, neural, or humoral abnormalities. In the absence of an identified cause, gastroparesis is labelled as idiopathic. We present the case of a patient with severe idiopathic gastroparesis. Pharmacological approaches failed, as well as reduction in gastric emptying resistance with pyloric injection of botulinum toxin and pyloroplasty. Therefore, subtotal gastrectomy was performed. Histological and immunohistochemical study of the resected specimen showed hypoganglionosis, neuronal dysplasia, and a marked reduction in both myenteric and intramuscular interstitial cells of Cajal. To our knowledge, this is the first time these rare histological findings have been described in a patient with idiopathic gastroparesis.