Gastroparesis Care and Enterra Therapy in Reno, Nevada
Living with nausea, vomiting, and feeling full after a few bites wears people down. Meals become something to dread, and plans get cancelled. Gastroparesis is a real condition, and there are options when diet changes and medications have not been enough.
Dr. Kent Sasse at Nevada Surgical Associates in Reno evaluates adults with gastroparesis and offers Enterra Therapy, an implanted gastric stimulator, for those who qualify. First consultations are available by telemedicine for patients across Nevada and neighboring states.
What Gastroparesis Is
Gastroparesis means the stomach empties too slowly without a physical blockage. Common causes are diabetes and unknown (idiopathic) causes. It can also follow a viral illness or surgery.
Diagnosis is confirmed with a gastric emptying study and an upper endoscopy to rule out a mechanical blockage.
Common Symptoms
- Ongoing nausea and vomiting
- Feeling full after only a few bites
- Bloating and upper abdominal pain
- Unpredictable blood sugars
- Weight loss or poor nutrition
Diagnostic Confirmation
Diagnosis is established using an objective four-hour gastric emptying study, paired with an upper endoscopy to verify there is no physical blockage in the digestive tract.
GLP-1 Medications and Stomach Symptoms
GLP-1 medications such as semaglutide (Ozempic®, Wegovy®) and tirzepatide (Mounjaro®, Zepbound®) slow how fast the stomach empties. That is part of how they work. For some people, this causes nausea, vomiting, or fullness that can feel a lot like gastroparesis.
If you have these symptoms while taking a GLP-1, or after stopping one:
- Talk with the clinician who prescribes it before changing or stopping the medication.
- Ask whether an evaluation makes sense, especially if symptoms are severe, ongoing, or you are losing weight you did not intend to lose.
- Bring a timeline: when you started, dose changes, when symptoms began, and whether they changed after stopping.
Symptoms on a GLP-1 do not automatically mean gastroparesis, and an evaluation does not automatically lead to a procedure. Sorting out the cause is the first step.
If you are weighing GLP-1 medication against surgical treatment, learn more on our bariatric surgery page and explore our surgical insights blog.
How We Evaluate Gastroparesis
A thorough, structured clinical process to understand your exact condition and treatment path.
Records Review
Dr. Sasse reviews your gastric emptying study, endoscopy report, medication history, and all prior treatments you have already tried.
Consultation
In person in Reno or via convenient telemedicine. Bring a clear description of your symptoms, frequency, and daily impact on eating.
Next Steps
May include additional testing, coordination with your gastroenterologist or PCP, continued medical therapy, or Enterra Therapy discussion if you qualify.
Watch: Understanding Gastroparesis & Enterra
Click any video to play. Educational content from the @SasseSurgical channel.
Gastroparesis: What It Is and How It’s Diagnosed
Causes, symptoms, and the 4-hour gastric emptying study explained.
Enterra Therapy: What It Is and Who Qualifies
HDE designation, candidacy criteria, and honest expectations.
Life with Enterra: Recovery and Results
Patients describe recovery timeline and daily life changes.
Dr. Kent Sasse — Who I Am in 60 Seconds
A brief introduction to Dr. Sasse and the Nevada Surgical team.
How Enterra Therapy Fits
Enterra Therapy is a small implanted device that sends mild electrical pulses to the stomach wall (gastric electrical stimulation). It is FDA-authorized under a Humanitarian Device Exemption to reduce chronic nausea and vomiting from diabetic or idiopathic gastroparesis that has not responded to medication. It has been in use since 2000, and the manufacturer reports it has been implanted in more than 20,000 patients.
What to Know
- It is meant to reduce nausea and vomiting. It does not cure gastroparesis and does not reliably speed stomach emptying.
- Improvement is often gradual over weeks to months as settings are adjusted. Results vary from person to person.
- It is adjustable and reversible. Settings can be changed in the office without surgery, and the device can be turned off or removed.
Who May Be a Candidate
- Adults 18 to 70 with gastroparesis from diabetes or of unknown cause
- Nausea and vomiting that continue despite diet changes and medications
- No blockage on endoscopy
- Able to undergo general anesthesia and laparoscopic surgery
Patients with gastroparesis after prior stomach surgery, or with other motility problems, are evaluated individually.
The Procedure
Enterra is placed through a minimally invasive laparoscopic operation under general anesthesia, usually one to two hours. Two thin leads are secured in the stomach wall and connected to a stimulator placed under the skin of the abdomen. Most patients go home the same day or after one night. The device is turned on and programmed at a follow-up visit.
Recovery & Insurance
Recovery: Most people return to light activity within a few days and normal activity in two to three weeks.
Insurance: Medicare and many commercial plans cover Enterra Therapy when medical necessity criteria are met. Prior authorization is required. Our team handles that process and tells you what your plan needs before anything is scheduled.
About Dr. Sasse
Kent C. Sasse, MD, MPH, FACS, FASMBS
Kent C. Sasse, MD, MPH, FACS, FASMBS is a board-certified general and bariatric surgeon in Reno, Nevada, with 25+ years of practice and 20,000+ procedures. He specializes in minimally invasive and bariatric surgery, gastric neuromodulation (Enterra Therapy) for gastroparesis, and sacral neuromodulation for overactive bladder, urge leakage, and fecal incontinence at The Continence Center (5500 Reno Corporate Drive, Suite 100). He teaches and conducts research at the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine.
Dr. Sasse also offers sacral neuromodulation for bladder and bowel leakage at The Continence Center. Learn more about our team and background on our About Us page.
Practice: Nevada Surgical Associates • 5500 Reno Corporate Drive, Suite 100, Reno, NV 89511 • Phone: (775) 829-7999
Frequently Asked Questions
What is gastroparesis?
A condition where the stomach empties too slowly without a blockage, causing nausea, vomiting, early fullness, bloating, and pain.
Can GLP-1 medications like semaglutide or tirzepatide cause gastroparesis-like symptoms?
These medications slow stomach emptying, and some people develop nausea, vomiting, or fullness. Talk with your prescriber before changing the medication, and ask whether an evaluation is needed if symptoms are severe or ongoing.
What is Enterra Therapy?
A small implanted device that sends mild electrical pulses to the stomach wall. It is FDA-authorized under a Humanitarian Device Exemption to reduce chronic, medication-resistant nausea and vomiting from diabetic or idiopathic gastroparesis.
Who is a candidate for Enterra Therapy?
Adults 18 to 70 with confirmed diabetic or idiopathic gastroparesis whose nausea and vomiting have not improved enough with diet changes and medications, and who have no blockage on endoscopy.
Does Enterra cure gastroparesis?
No. It is meant to reduce nausea and vomiting. It does not reliably speed emptying, and results vary.
How is the device placed, and how long is recovery?
Through laparoscopic surgery under general anesthesia, usually one to two hours. Most people go home the same day or after one night, return to light activity in a few days, and normal activity in two to three weeks.
Is Enterra reversible?
Yes. It can be turned off or removed, and settings can be changed without surgery.
Does insurance cover Enterra?
Medicare and many commercial plans cover it when medical necessity criteria are met. Prior authorization is required, and our team handles it.
I live outside Reno. Can I be seen?
Yes. First consultations can be done by telemedicine, and our out-of-town patient coordinator helps arrange records review, travel, and follow-up.
For Referring Physicians and NPs
We welcome referrals from gastroenterology, endocrinology, neurology, and primary care.
Please send:
- Gastric emptying study (report)
- Most recent upper endoscopy report
- Medication history, including antiemetics, prokinetics, and any GLP-1 use with dates
- Recent labs (including A1c for patients with diabetes)
- Recent notes and reason for referral
How to refer:
Call (775) 829-7999 or fax (877) 701-6082. Referred patients are seen within 2 weeks, and we report back after visits. Questions: (775) 829-7999.
Ready to Request an Appointment?
Nevada Surgical Associates • 5500 Reno Corporate Drive, Suite 100, Reno, NV 89511
Call us at (775) 829-7999