The purpose of this study is to find out if we can stimulate the vagus nerve. The vagus nerve is a largely internal nerve that controls many bodily functions, including stomach function. We hope that electrically stimulating the nerve around the external ear will also stimulate the internal vagus nerve. If it does, then we hope that this will help our treatment of patients with nausea and vomiting and disordered stomach function.
Wiling to have one teaspoon (5 ml) of blood drawn.
Diagnosed with gastroparesis for twelve months or longer
Diagnosed with diabetes either Type 1 or Type 2
Documented delayed gastric emptying (>10% retention of the test meal at four hours) on a standardized scrambled-egg scintigraphy gastric emptying test performed in the last two years.
Unable to provide consent
Pregnant females
Medical records indicate intestinal pseudo-obstruction
Diagnosed with cardiac arrhythmia