Description

Short bowel syndrome is a condition in which the body cannot absorb nutrients from food because that the part of the small intestine is damaged or missing.

The small intestine is where most of the nutrients we eat are absorbed into the body during digestion.

Short bowel syndrome can happen when:

  • Parts of the small intestine has been surgically removed. Conditions that may require the surgical removal of large portions of the small intestine, including Crohn's disease, cancer, traumatic injuries and blood clots in the arteries that supply blood to the intestines.
  • Portions of the small intestine are damaged or missing at birth. Babies can be born with a short small intestine, or with damage in the small intestine that should be surgically removed.

Short bowel syndrome treatment usually consists of special diets and nutritional supplements. This may involve receiving nutrition through a vein, it is called parenteral nutrition to prevent malnutrition.

Symptoms

The common symptoms of short bowel syndrome may include:

  • The diarrhea.
  • Greasy, foul-smelling stools.
  • Fatigue.
  • The loss of weight.
  • Malnutrition.
  • Swelling, called edema in the legs and feet.

Causes

Causes of short bowel syndrome include having parts of his small intestine removed during surgery, or born with some of the small intestine is damaged or missing. Conditions that may require the surgical removal of portions of the small intestine, including Crohn's disease, cancer, injury, and blood clots.

Diagnosis

To diagnose the short bowel syndrome, a health professional may recommend a blood or stool test to measure the levels of nutrients. Other tests may include imaging procedures, such as X-ray with a contrast material called barium X-rays, computed tomography, nuclear magnetic resonance ; and a computed tomography scan or magnetic resonance imaging enterography, which can show blockages or changes in the intestines.

Treatment

Options of treatment for short bowel syndrome will depend on what parts of the small intestine are affected, if the colon is intact and of the person's own preferences.

Short bowel syndrome treatment may include:

  • Nutritional therapy. People with syndrome of the small intestine is you need to follow a special diet and taking nutritional supplements. Some people may need to get nutrition through a vein, it is called parenteral nutrition, or tube feeding, called the enteral nutrition. This is to prevent malnutrition.
  • Drugs. In addition to nutritional support, medication to help manage the short bowel syndrome may be recommended. These include medicines to help control the stomach acid, reduce diarrhea, or improve the intestinal absorption after surgery.
  • Surgery. Types of surgery to treat short bowel syndrome include procedures to reduce the passage of nutrients through the gut, or of a procedure to lengthen the intestine, called autologous gastrointestinal reconstruction. Small bowel transplantation (SBT) can also be an option.
Symptoms and treatment of Short bowel syndrome