Short Bowel syndrome

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Short Bowel syndrome

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Overview
Short bowel syndrome is a group of problems
related to poor absorption of nutrients that
typically occurs in people who
have had half or more of their small intestine
removed. The small intestine and

1

Overview
the large intestine, also called the colon, make up
the bowel. The small
intestine is where most digestion of food and
absorption of nutrients occur.
People with short bowel syndrome cannot absorb
enough water, vitamins, and
other nutrients from food to sustain life.

2

Causes
The main cause of short bowel syndrome is
surgical removal of half or more of the small
intestine to treat intestinal
diseases, injuries, or defects present at birth.

3

Causes
In newborns, short bowel syndrome may occur
following surgery to treat conditions such as;
-- necrotizing enterocolitis, a condition that
occurs in premature infants and leads to the death
of bowel tissue

4

Causes
-- congenital defects of the bowel, such as
midgut volvulus, omphalocele and
gastroschisis, jejunoileal atresia, internal
hernia, and congenital short bowel
-- meconium ileus, a condition associated with

5

Causes
cystic fibrosis
-- In children and adults, short bowel
syndrome may occur following surgery to treat
conditions such as
-- intussusception, a condition in which part

6

Causes
of the intestine folds into another part of the
intestine
-- Crohn's disease, an inflammatory bowel
disease
-- bowel injury from loss of blood flow due to
a blocked blood vessel

7

Causes
-- bowel injury from trauma
-- cancer and damage to the bowel caused by
cancer treatment
Short bowel syndrome can also be caused by

8

Causes
disease or injury that prevents the small intestine
from functioning as it
should despite a normal length.

9

Symptoms
Diarrhea is the main symptom of short bowel
syndrome. Diarrhea can lead to dehydration,
malnutrition, and weight loss.
These problems can be severe and can cause death
without proper treatment.

10

Symptoms
Other symptoms may include:
-- cramping
-- bloating
-- heartburn
-- weakness and fatigue
Specific nutrient deficiencies may occur

11

Symptoms
depending on what sections of the small intestine
were removed or are not
functioning properly. Sites of nutrient absorption
in the small intestine are:
-- the duodenum, the first section of the
small intestine, where iron is absorbed

12

Symptoms
-- the jejunum, the middle section of the
small intestine, where carbohydrates, proteins, fat,
and vitamins are absorbed
-- the ileum, the last section of the small
intestine, where bile acids and vitamin B12 are
absorbed.

13

Symptoms
People with short bowel syndrome are also
at risk for developing food sensitivities.

14

Treatment
The main treatment for short bowel syndrome
is nutritional support. Treatment may involve use
of oral rehydration
solutions, parenteral nutrition, enteral nutrition,
and medications. Oral

15

Treatment
rehydration solutions consist of sugar and salt
liquids. Parenteral nutrition
delivers fluids, electrolytes, and liquid nutrients
into the bloodstream
intravenously—through a tube placed in a vein.
Enteral nutrition delivers

16

Treatment
liquid food to the stomach or small intestine
through a feeding tube.
Specific treatment depends on the severity
of the disease:
-- Mild short bowel syndrome treatment

17

Treatment
involves eating small, frequent meals; taking fluid
and nutritional
supplements; and using medications to treat
diarrhea.
-- Moderate short bowel syndrome treatment is
similar to that for mild disease with the addition of
intravenous fluid and

18

Treatment
electrolyte supplements as needed.
-- Severe short bowel syndrome treatment
involves use of parenteral nutrition and oral
rehydration solutions. Patients
may receive enteral nutrition or continue normal
eating even though most of the

19

Treatment
nutrients are not absorbed. Both enteral nutrition
and normal eating stimulate
the remaining intestine to function better and may
allow patients to
discontinue parenteral nutrition. Some people with
severe short bowel syndrome
require parenteral nutrition indefinitely.

20

Treatment
Long-term treatment and recovery depend in
part on what sections of the small intestine were
removed, how much remains,
and how well the remaining small intestine adapts
over time.
Intestinal transplantation may be an option

21

Treatment
for some patients for whom other treatments have
failed and who have
complications from long-term parenteral nutrition.
These complications include
blood infections, blood clots, and liver failure,
which can lead to the need
for liver transplantation.

22

Short Bowel syndrome

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