Navigating the Prognosis and Functional Recovery of Short Bowel Syndrome: A Mentored Review

Short bowel syndrome (SBS) is a debilitating condition resulting from extensive small bowel resection, leading to profound malabsorption, malnutrition, and complications due to reduced absorptive capacity. The remaining intestine undergoes a complex process of intestinal adaptation, characterized by varying degrees of adaptive changes among individuals. While some patients regain oral autonomy, others will go on to develop chronic intestinal failure, necessitating long-term dependence on parenteral nutrition. This review outlines the different phases of intestinal adaptation-acute, adaptation, and maintenance-and current evidence-based interventions at each stage. This article also highlights prognostic factors that influence bowel recovery. Emerging biomarkers, including citrulline, apoprotein A-IV, and glucagon-like peptide 2, are evaluated for their potential in guiding treatment decisions and monitoring intestinal adaptation. These novel biomarkers offer promising avenues for improving patient management and prognosis in SBS.