Short Bowel Syndrome

Definition

Short bowel syndrome is a condition that occurs when part of the small intestine has been removed during surgery or its complete disfunction. As a result nutrients are not properly absorbed into the body (malabsorption) as a result. 

Symptoms

The main symptom of short bowel syndrome is diarrhea—loose, watery stools. Diarrhea can lead to dehydration, malnutrition, and weight loss. Dehydration means the body lacks enough fluid and electrolytes—chemicals in salts, including sodium, potassium, and chloride—to work properly. Malnutrition is a condition that develops when the body does not get the right amount of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients it needs to maintain healthy tissues and organ function. Loose stools contain more fluid and electrolytes than solid stools. These problems can be severe and can be life threatening without proper treatment. Other signs and symptoms may include bloating cramping fatigue, or feeling tired foul-smelling stool heartburn too much gas vomiting weakness.

Treatment

A health care provider will recommend treatment for short bowel syndrome based on a patient's nutritional needs. Treatment may include A) Nutritional support Oral rehydration Parenteral nutrition Enteral nutrition Vitamin and mineral supplements Special diet B) Medications antibiotics to prevent bacterial overgrowth H2 blockers to treat too much gastric acid secretion proton pump inhibitors to treat too much gastric acid secretion choleretic agents to improve bile flow and prevent liver disease bile-salt binders to decrease diarrhea anti-secretin agents to reduce gastric acid in the intestine hypomotility agents to increase the time it takes food to travelthrough the intestines, leading to increased nutrient absorption growth hormones to improve intestinal absorption teduglutide to improve intestinal absorption C) Surgery D) Intestinal transplant

Statistics

Statistics is not available for this disease