Short Bowel Syndrome

Short bowel syndrome refers to a congenital or surgical shortening of the intestinal tract to less than 200 cm. As a result, the absorption capacity of fat-soluble vitamins, bile salts and cobalamin is very limited.

Causes of the short bowel syndrome, for example, resections, but also mesenteric infarction, intestinal obstruction, tumors in the abdominal cavity or entanglement of the intestine.

The affected patients suffer from diarrhea, steatorrhea and the loss of minerals, vitamins and bile salts. This can lead to weight loss and derailment of the electrolyte balance.