Abstract: A progressing cavity pump in which portions of the stator have been removed or cut away so as to provide a degree of radial access to the cavities formed by the pump elements within the progressing cavity pump suction chamber. One embodiment of such a stator includes a removed portion which results from a planar cut that starts from the suction end of the stator, proximal the central axis of the internal stator bore, is angled towards the discharge end of the stator and outwardly away from the central axis, and intersects an internal helical groove of the stator that defines a first cavity. In another embodiment of the stator, the removed portion of the stator is a radial "cut-out" which follows the internal helical groove of the stator.