[Therapeutic problems in the "short-bowel-syndrome" (author's transl)]

The authors report on 6 children with short-bowel-syndrome. The expectancy of life of the patients depends on the mucosal surface of the residual intestine and on the degree of adaption. After removal of larger proportions of the intestine, nutrition should be started parenterally and followed by an early but cautious oral feeding. The administration must be distributed continuously over the day. At first carbohydrates are given as monosaccharides, fats as M. C. T. and proteins as amino acid mixtures. Carrot soup has proved useful as a water-binding substance for the improvement of stool consistency. An anabolic condition of the metabolism should be maintained. Therapy with cholestyramin is indicated in chologenic diarrhoea. Substitution of vitamins, especially vitamin B12 is very important after resection of the ileum.