A screening test is used on a patient to determine if pancreatic secretion
is responsive to stimulation. The screening test compares measurements of
a pancreatic indicator both before and after natural stimulation. The
pancreatic indicator is measured before natural stimulation and then the
patient's pancreas is naturally stimulated. After waiting a time period
from when the natural stimulation began, the pancreatic indicator is once
again measured. The difference between the pancreatic indicator measured
before ingesting the meal and the pancreatic response indicator measured
after ingesting and waiting a time period is calculated and a decision is
made whether the patient has a pancreatic condition suitable for treatment
with electrical stimulation. Additionally, an efficacy test is used to
evaluate the efficacy of employing electrical stimulation to treat a
pancreatic condition. Electrical stimulation is administered with a
gastroelectric stimulator having a neurostimulator, an electrical lead,
and electrodes placed in the patient's abdomen at a location to stimulate
the patient's pancreas. The efficacy test compares a pancreatic response
indicator before electrical stimulation and after electrical stimulation
to decides whether there is efficacy in using electrical stimulation to
treat a patient's pancreatic condition.