Short bowel syndrome

Abstract

To appreciate the complexities of short bowel syndrome, the disease should be thought of as a functional disorder rather than a simple anatomical abnormality. For this reason, many experts in the field now prefer the term intestinal failure (IF) as a more appropriate description of this syndrome. The true definition of IF is a reduction of the functional gut mass below the level needed to allow adequate digestion and absorption of enteral fluids, electrolytes, and nutrition to sustain hydration, electrolyte balance, and growth. © 2011 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.