Lay summary
Gastrointestinal (GI) motility disorders affect up to 30% of the western population, imparting major clinical, economic, and societal burdens. The mechanical contractions of the GI tract are initiated and coordinated by an underlying bioelectrical activity, and abnormal electrical rhythms (‘dysrhythmias’) have been associated with many motility disorders. However, there remains no reliable clinical technique for correcting GI dysrhythmias. This research aims to develop and validate ablation therapy as a novel treatment for gastric dysrhythmias, where energy is delivered to localised regions of the stomach to block abnormal electrical conduction. Effective energy-dose requirements for GI ablation will be define, electrical blocks will be targeted to sites of dysrhythmias and verified by high-resolution multi-electrode mapping, and efficacy and preliminary safety will be evaluated after healing. Together, these studies have the potential to deliver a new treatment technique for debilitating digestive disorders.