The management of short bowel syndrome

Abstract 

Short bowel syndrome is the most common cause of ‘intestinal failure’ in childhood. It usually follows extensive surgical resection of the small intestine. The most common causes include necrotizing enterocolitis, congenital atresias, gastroschisis and volvulus. Expert management of parenteral feeding is crucial. In the early post-operative phase, avoidance of fluid, electrolyte and mineral imbalances is important. Management of enteral feeding should be based on an understanding of the underlying pathophysiology, and should take account of the specific anatomic details in individual patients. ‘Intestinal adaptation’ eventually allows many children to recover and to dispense with parenteral nutrition. Enteral feeding is an essential factor in promoting the adaptive response. The management of short bowel syndrome is complex and should be undertaken by an experienced multi-disciplinary team.

Keywords: short bowel syndrome, intestinal failure, parenteral nutrition, intestinal adaptation, intestinal transplantation

No full text is available. To read the body of this article, please view the PDF online.

• f1 E-mail: m.s.murphy@bham.ac.uk