In a major leap forward for digestive health in the region, King’s College Hospital Dubai has become amongst the first hospitals in the UAE to introduce the gastric pacemaker, a pioneering treatment designed for patients suffering from severe gastroparesis. Often misunderstood and notoriously difficult to treat, gastroparesis affects the stomach’s ability to empty properly, causing chronic nausea, pain, bloating, and complications that can seriously impact day-to-day life.
While the condition is known to be complex, what makes King’s approach unique is not just the technology, but the breadth of care surrounding it. The hospital is now home to the UAE’s only truly comprehensive gastroparesis service, one of the only places in the country where patients can access a full multidisciplinary team (MDT) specialising in the condition. This includes gastroenterologists, surgeons, psychiatrists, pain specialists, psychologists, endocrinologists, neuromuscular specialists, and neurologists working together under one roof.
“Gastroparesis can’t be solved with a one-size-fits-all solution,” said Dr Farooq Khan, consultant hepatologist, gastroenterologist and interventional endoscopist. “It requires a deep understanding of the condition from every angle like medical, psychological, and lifestyle related. That’s what we’ve built here.”
The centre also leads the way in advanced interventions. King’s is the only facility in the UAE offering gastric pacemaker implantation, a device that stimulates the stomach muscles to help restore natural movement and function. In addition, patients have access to cutting-edge endoscopic therapies that are often less invasive than traditional surgery and tailored to individual cases.
But perhaps most importantly, the philosophy at King’s is to treat the whole patient, not just the symptoms. Many individuals with gastroparesis have underlying or contributing conditions such as diabetes or neurological disorders, and treatment is designed with this full picture in mind.
“We’re not here to simply manage pain or prescribe anti-nausea medication,” said Dr Bratislav Spica, specialist general surgeon. “We’re here to give patients back the quality of life they may have lost; using tools, technologies, and expertise you simply can’t find anywhere else in the country.”
With its blend of medical innovation and collaborative care, King’s College Hospital Dubai has positioned itself as the national leader in gastroparesis treatment and a vital resource for patients across the UAE seeking answers, support, and a path forward.
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