[Practical guideline for short bowel syndrome]

Short bowel syndrome is a rare complex disease that mainly develops due to extensive bowel resections and can lead to chronic intestinal failure. Due to the decreased intestinal surface absorption of macronutrient, micronutrient and/or fluids is reduced. Correspondingly manifold symptoms arise as diarrhoea, weight loss, vitamin deficiencies, chronic kidney disease, hepatopathy and others with great impact on quality of life of patients. Therapy is complex and needs interdisciplinary collaboration between dieticians, gastroenterologists, surgeons and also a dense monitoring of general practitioners. Commonly patients need permanent home-parenteral support. Therapies have to be decided individually and have to be reviewed regularly for effectivity and side effects. Furthermore, periodic monitoring of several clinical and laboratory tests should be performed. Morbidity and mortality of this disease complex is high and lead by appearance and management of complications. This practical guide should give an overview about the disease, diagnostics and management and should enable the best possible care of these complex patients.