Short bowel syndrome

Definition

• Syndrome of malabsorption following resection of the small bowel

Clinical Presentation

• Severity depends on what was removed, how much was removed, whether the cecal valve was removed, whether any large bowel was removed, the presence of residual disease, and how well the remaining bowel has adapted
• Bowel may adapt over 6 to 12 months following resection
• Most notable symptom is diarrhea and steatorrhea
• More likely to have calcium oxalate renal stones

Management

• Manage nutritional status
• Symptomatic management of diarrhea
• For calcium oxalate renal stones: cholestyramine