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Short bowel syndrome symptoms and causes you need to know

Merdeka.com – Bowel syndrome Shortness of breath is a condition where the body cannot absorb enough nutrients from the food you eat because you don’t have enough small intestines.

The small intestine is where most of the nutrients you eat are absorbed by the body during digestion. Short bowel syndrome can be congenital (present from birth) or a health condition that causes a large part of a person’s small intestine to be surgically removed.

The severity of the syndrome can vary significantly in the patient, depending on the extent of intestinal damage and residual utility. It is considered a rare condition, with three in a million people affected each year.

Here merdeka.com summarizes all the symptoms short bowel syndrome along with the causes that need to be known:

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Symptoms of short bowel syndrome

A patient with short bowel syndrome may experience a variety of symptoms related to insufficient bowel function, including:

  • Diarrhea
  • Dehydration
  • Weight loss
  • Malnutrition
  • Stomach ache
  • Swelling or cramps
  • Fatigue and weakness
  • Stomach
  • He retched

It is common for patients with short bowel syndrome to have a vitamin deficiency, which can cause specific signs such as anemia, hyperkeratosis, bruising, muscle spasms, poor blood clotting, or bone pain. In addition, affected patients have a higher risk of developing food allergies or sensitivities.

Causes of short bowel syndrome

The most common cause of short bowel syndrome is the surgical removal of part of the small intestine, which can be done as part of treatment for several health conditions. This includes:

  • Crohn’s disease
  • Volvulus
  • Growth of the tumor
  • Physical trauma
  • Necrotic enterocolitis
  • Bypass surgery for obesity
  • Congenital defects: gastroschisis, omphalocele, meconium ileus, intussusception, intestinal atresia, internal hernia

In some cases, the baby may be born with a short small intestine or a missing part of the intestine, which can lead to short bowel syndrome.

Necrotizing enterocolitis is a major cause of children with this syndrome, which involves damage to the tissues of the intestine and consequently inadequate function and absorption of nutrients.

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How to overcome short bowel syndrome

Treatment for a person with short bowel syndrome depends on the individual’s specific needs, but often involves a multidisciplinary team with nutritional support, drug treatment, and surgery.

Dehydration is a common complication of diarrhea experienced by many patients with short bowel syndrome and can usually be managed with oral rehydration. Pharmacological rehydration solutions, containing physiological levels of salts and minerals, are ideal for children who have lost a lot of fluids due to diarrhea.

Dietary changes to accommodate bowel failure are an important step in managing the condition. Small, frequent meals are usually preferred and problematic foods, such as those that cause diarrhea, should be avoided.

Parenteral or enteral nutrition can help some patients get the nutrition they need when the gut is not getting enough. Parenteral involves the administration of fluids, electrolytes, vitamins and minerals through an intravenous tube, while enteral involves feeding a feeding tube into the stomach. Vitamin or mineral supplementation may be required during this treatment.

Certain medications may be useful in the treatment of some individuals, namely:

  • Antibiotics to prevent bacterial growth
  • Anti-ulcer drug to reduce gastric acid secretion
  • Choleretic agent to prevent liver disease, thanks to the improved bile flow
  • Hypomotility agent to increase travel time and nutrient absorption in the intestine
  • Growth hormone or teduglutide to increase intestinal absorption

Operation

About half of all patients with short bowel syndrome require surgery to improve intestinal absorption. Specific procedures may vary, such as:

  • Prevention of blockage in the intestine
  • Narrowing of the dilated intestinal segment
  • Increases travel time (and, therefore, nutrient absorption)
  • Intestinal elongation

The outcome and postoperative recovery depend on the procedure and the degree of invasion involved.

Some patients may need an intestinal transplant, which involves replacing lost or non-functioning tissue with healthy small intestine tissue. Healthy tissue can come from people who have recently died or from living donors. It can save the life of a person with intestinal failure.

(mdk / amd)

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