Short bowel syndrome is a condition in which the body
cannot absorb enough fluids and nutrients because part of the small intestine is
missing (usually due to prior surgery or illness), or is not working properly.
What does the small intestine do?
The small intestine is a part of the digestive system.
The small intestine has three sections:
- The duodenum, which is located next to the stomach, is the shortest section.
- The jejunum, which lies between the duodenum and the ileum
- The ileum, which is the longest section and connects to the large intestine (colon)
(The ileocecal valve forms a barrier between the ileum
and the large intestine to prevent the contents of the large intestine from
flowing back into the small intestine.)
The small intestine is where the absorption of fluids,
proteins, carbohydrates (starches and sugars), iron, fats, vitamins, and
minerals (such as calcium, sodium, and potassium) takes place. If the duodenum
and a portion of the jejunum have been removed by surgery, the ileum can take on
their role in absorbing nutrients. But if a substantial part of the jejunum or
the ileum is removed, it is more difficult to obtain adequate nutrition. In
these cases, nutrients usually have to be provided in a form other than food.
Children need more calories than adults because they
are still growing. If a child is born with portions of the small intestine
missing, it can lead to serious problems.
What causes short bowel syndrome?
Short bowel syndrome can occur as a congenital
condition (the baby is born with it). For example, the small intestine might be
abnormally short at birth, a section of the bowel might be missing, or the bowel
does not form completely before birth (intestinal atresia).
In other cases, patients develop conditions in which a
large section of the small intestine has to be removed by surgery. In newborns,
especially premature infants, necrotizing enterocolitis (the inflammation and
loss of blood flow to the intestine, leading to severe damage) is the most
common cause of short bowel syndrome.
Other causes include:
- Crohn’s disease (the intestine becomes inflamed and scarred)
- intussusception (part of the intestine is folded into another part)
- a blocked blood vessel, which can cause a lack of blood flow to the intestine
- injury to the intestine
- cancer
What are the symptoms of short bowel syndrome?
Symptoms of short bowel syndrome include:
- Diarrhea. Watery diarrhea is the most common symptom of short bowel syndrome in infants and children.
- Bloating
- Excessive gas and/or foul-smelling stool
- Poor appetite
- Weight loss or inability to gain weight
- Fatigue
- Vomiting