[The blind-loop syndrome after side-to-side anastomoses of the gut (author's transl)]

The postoperative blind-loop syndrome can occur after side-to-side, end-to side or by-pass anastomoses of the gut and presents clinically as malabsorption syndrome. Pathogenetically, stasis or slowing of the bowel movements will cause a rapid increase of pathogenic bacteria in the small intestine. Malabsorption is characterized by 3 symptoms: Loss of weight, anemia, steatorrhoea. The method of choice for therapy is to perform a new, end-to-end, anastomosis of the intestine in order to re-establish a physiological situation. During the last 6 years 14 patients with malabsorption syndromes of varying degrees were operated upon: 6 had pure small intestinal anastomoses, 7 anastomoses between the small and large intestine and 1 patient had a side-to-side sigmoidal anastomosis. In all patients the side-to-side or by-pass anastomoses could be reversed.