Short Bowel Syndrome - About Short Bowel Syndrome

If you have had a portion of your small intestine removed, you might suffer from a condition called short bowel syndrome. Short bowel syndrome is a group of problems that affect people who have had half or more of their small intestine removed. Removing a part of the small intestine to treat Crohn’s disease is the most common reason for its removal.

Symptoms

The main symptom of short bowel syndrome is diarrhea. However, other symptoms may also be experienced, which include

 Cramping

 Bloating

 Heartburn

Many people with this disorder are also malnourished. This is partly because their remaining small intestine has difficulty in absorbing important vitamins and other nutrients from food. Because not enough water is absorbed, they may also become dehydrated. Dehydration can become life-threatening when not treated promptly. Signs and symptoms may arise from dehydration and malnutrition, which include

 Weakness

 Fatigue

 Depression

 Weight loss

 Bacterial infections

 Food sensitivities

Treatment

Treatment of short bowel syndrome may include the following

 Dietary changes

 Vitamin and mineral supplements

 Intravenous feeding

 Medications to relieve symptoms

Reference:
National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse. Short Bowel Syndrome. National Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD. NIH Publication No. 02—4631. Available at http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/shortbowel/index.htm. Accessed July 23, 2008

Page Last Revised: February 7, 2011

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