Definition:
Short bowel syndrome is a malabsorption disorder which is caused by the surgical removal of the small intestine, which is the absorptive region of the gastrointestinal tract. This disorder is also known as short gut syndrome or short gut.
Most cases of Short bowel syndrome are acquired; rare cases include children born with congenital short bowel.
Diagnosis:
Diagnostic procedures include:
• Chem-20 aimed at discovering signs of malabsorption
• Complete Blood Count (CBC) which can reveal anemia
• Fecal fat test
Treatment:
Short bowel syndrome is likely to develop when more than two-thirds of the small intestine is removed either through surgery or congenital absence of an extensive part of the small intestine.
Symptoms and Signs:
Individuals with short bowel syndrome may experience the following symptoms:
• Pain in the abdominal region
• Diarrhea and sometimes oily, sticky, and foul-smelling stool (steatorrhea)
• Fluid retention
• Feelings of exhaustion or fatigue
• Remarkable weight loss
• Bloated sensation
• Dehydration
• Heart burn
• Abdominal cramps
Causes:
Short bowel syndrome is likely to develop when more than two-thirds of the small intestine is removed either through surgery or congenital absence of an extensive part of the small intestine.
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