ABSTRACT
Short-bowel syndrome is characterized by a state of malabsorption following extensive resection of the small bowel. It is a functional rather than an anatomical definition. The resection results in a state of insufficient nutritive supply requiring artificial nutrition. Until 20 years ago, the prognosis after extensive bowel resection was poor, especially in the neonatal period. The onset of parenteral nutrition (PN) and enteral feeding in the daily practice has transformed the outcome during the past two decades.1-4 These methods allow infants and children with short-bowel syndrome to grow normally during the long period required for adaptation of the remaining small intestine. In addition to the requirement for PN, the child with intestinal failure from short-bowel syndrome may benefit from other established medical and surgical interventions, intended to improve the function of the remaining gut.5 This chapter reviews the pathophysiology of short-bowel syndrome and describes the principles of its medical and surgical management.
