Short bowel syndrome: Complications and management

Short bowel syndrome (SBS) occurs when a patient loses bowel length or function significantly enough to cause malabsorption, oftentimes requiring lifelong parenteral support. In adults, this occurs most commonly in the setting of massive intestinal resection, whereas congenital anomalies and necrotizing enterocolitis predominate in children. Many patients with SBS develop long-term clinical complications over time related to their altered intestinal anatomy and physiology or to various treatment interventions such as parenteral nutrition and the central venous catheter through which it is administered. Identifying, preventing, and treating these complications can be challenging. This review will focus on the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of several complications that can occur in this patient population, including diarrhea, fluid and electrolyte imbalance, vitamin and trace element derangements, metabolic bone disease, biliary disorders, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, d-lactic acidosis, and complications of central venous catheters.