Short Bowel Syndrome

Nutrients are mostly absorbed in the small intestine, and in the case of short bowel syndrome, there will be a decrease in the absorption of these nutrients.

Short bowel syndrome

Short bowel syndrome occurs when a part of the small intestine is missing or damaged. This leads to a decrease in the nutrients that the body gets from the food because most of them are absorbed in the small intestine.

Causes of short bowel syndrome

• Surgical removal of a part of the small intestine due to medical reasons, such as Crohn’s disease, cancer, blood clots, and traumatic injuries.
• Congenital short bowel, which means that a person is born with a missing part of the small intestine or a damaged part of it that needs to be removed surgically.

Symptoms of short bowel syndrome

• Extreme tiredness.
• Diarrhea.
• Fatty stools with a foul smell.
• Weight loss.
• Malnutrition.
• Edema in the lower limbs.

Diagnosis of short bowel syndrome

• Blood and stool tests.
• Imaging tests.

Treatment of short bowel syndrome

• Following a specific diet.
• Nutritional supplements.
• Certain medications.
• Short bowel syndrome can be managed by a surgery that slows down the movement of the food throughout the intestines or by small intestine transplantation.