Synonyms
Small intestinal insufficiency
Definition
Short bowel syndrome (SBS) refers to the clinical consequences including malabsorption resulting from loss of small bowel absorptive surface area either due to congenital defect or surgical resection or bypass. The syndrome is characterized by maldigestion, malabsorption, and malnutrition. SBS occurs when more than one half of the bowel is removed or missing, especially if terminal ileum and ileocecal valves are removed. After removal of a large portion of the small intestine, the remaining small intestine goes through a process of adaptation that increases its ability to absorb nutrients. The inner lining grows, increasing its absorptive surface area. Intestinal adaptation can take up to 2 years to occur. Clinical symptoms of SBS include diarrhea, fatigue, steatorrhea, weight loss, and edema. The diagnosis rests on the clinical history and routine laboratory tests revealing the deficiency of nutrients.
Clinical Features
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References and Further Reading
Rossi, T. M., Lee, P. C., Young, C., & Tjota, A. (1993). Small intestinal mucosa changes, including epithelial cell proliferative activity, of children receiving total parenteral nutrition (TPN). Digestive Diseases and Sciences, 38(9), 1608–1613.
Sigalet, D. L. (2001). Short bowel syndrome in infants and children: An overview. Seminars in Pediatric Surgery, 10(2), 49–55.
Wall, E. A. (2013). An overview of short bowel syndrome management: Adherence, adaptation, and practical recommendations. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 113(9), S2212–S2672.
Wilmore, D. W., & Robinson, M. K. (2000). Short bowel syndrome. World Journal of Surgery, 24(12), 1486–1492.
Wood, S. J., Khalil, B., Fusaro, F., Folaranmi, S. E., Sparks, S. A., & Morabito, A. (2013). Early structured surgical management plan for neonates with short bowel syndrome may improve outcomes. World Journal of Surgery, 37(7), 1714–1717.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2017 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
About this entry
Cite this entry
Ensari, A. (2017). Short Gut Syndrome. In: Carneiro, F., Chaves, P., Ensari, A. (eds) Pathology of the Gastrointestinal Tract. Encyclopedia of Pathology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-40560-5_1536
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-40560-5_1536
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-40559-9
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-40560-5
eBook Packages: MedicineReference Module Medicine