Skip to main content

Causes of Short Bowel Syndrome in Adults

  • Living reference work entry
  • First Online:
Contemporary Small Bowel Transplantation

Part of the book series: Organ and Tissue Transplantation ((OTT))

  • 125 Accesses

Abstract

In adults, short bowel syndrome results from a large number of etiologies, many of which will be discussed within this chapter. Short bowel syndrome can result from Crohn’s disease, acute mesenteric ischemia, various forms of trauma, obstruction, and lastly, postoperatively. Crohn’s disease leads to short bowel syndrome through the disease itself and the necessity of surgeries to mediate the intestinal damage. Acute mesenteric ischemia causes short bowel syndrome through reduction of blood flow but is not frequently observed. Similarly, trauma, such as blunt and penetrating trauma, can directly lead to short bowel syndrome through the damage of the gastrointestinal tract and organs in the abdomen. Obstruction, whether congenital, acquired, iatrogenic, etc., can contribute to progression to short bowel syndrome. With respect to obstruction, hernias in various locations, volvuli at different locations along the gastrointestinal tract, luminal obstructions possibly resulting from malignancy, and radiation-induced injury will be specifically addressed. Postoperatively, surgery in itself can place a patient at high risk for development of short bowel syndrome.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Acosta S (2010) Epidemiology of mesenteric vascular disease: clinical implications. Semin Vasc Surg 23:4–8

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Aggarwal L, Sattavan S, Lal R et al (2017) Short bowel syndrome: an uncommon clinical entity and a therapeutic challenge—our experience and review of literature. Indian J Surg 79:349–353

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Agwunobi AO, Carlson GL, Anderson ID et al (2001) Mechanisms of intestinal failure in Crohn’s disease. Dis Colon Rectum 44:1384–1387

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Asensio JA et al (2001) Multi-institutional experience with the management of superior mesenteric artery injuries. J Am Coll Surg 193:354–365

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bala M, Kasshuk J, Moore EE et al (2017) Acute mesenteric ischemia: guidelines of the world Society of Emergency Surgery. World J Emerg Surg 12:38–49

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Baumgart DC, Sandborn WJ (2012) Crohn’s disease. Lancet 380:1590–1605

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bhandari S, Dang G, Shahreyar M et al (2016) Predicting outcomes in patients with atrial fibrillation and acute mesenteric ischemia. J Patient-Centered Res Rev 3:177–186

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bown LS, Ricksten SE, Houltz E et al (2016) Vasopressin-induced changes in splanchnic blood flow and hepatic and portal venous pressures in liver resection. Acta Anaesthesiol Scand 60:607–615

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Braga CBM, Bizari L, Suen VMM, Marchini JS, de Paula FJA, da Cunha SFC (2015) Bone mineral density in short bowel syndrome: correlation with BMI and serum vitamins C, E and K. Arch Endocrinol Metab 59:252–258

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Buchman AL, Scolapio J, Fryer J (2003) AGA technical review on short bowel syndrome and intestinal transplantation. Gastroenterology 124:1111–1134

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Carbonnel F, Cosnes J, Chevret S et al (1996) The role of anatomic factors in nutritional autonomy after extensive small bowel resection. J Parenter Enter Nutr 20:275–280

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dabney A et al (2004) Short bowel syndrome after trauma. Am J Surg 188:792–795

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Edwards MS, Gregory SC, Craven TE (2003) Acute occlusive mesenteric ischemia: surgical management and outcomes. Ann Vasc Surg 17:72–79

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Frick EJ, Pasquale MD, Cipolle MD (1999) Small-bowel and mesentery injuries in blunt trauma. J Trauma Acute Care Surg 46:920–926

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hongo N, Mori H, Matsumoto S, Okino Y, Takaji R, Komatsu E (2011) Internal hernias after abdominal surgeries: MDCT features. Abdom Imaging 36:349–362

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Jobanputra S, Weiss EG (2007) Stricturoplasty. Clin Colon Rectal Surg 20:294–302

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Karkkainen JM, Acosta S (2017) Acute mesenteric ischemia (part I) – incidence, etiologies, and how to improve early diagnosis. Best Pract Res Clin Gastroenterol 31:15–25

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kelly DG, Tappenden KA, Winkler MF (2014) Short bowel syndrome: highlights of patient management, quality of life, and survival. J Parenter Enter Nutr 38:427–437

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kim AW, McCarthy WJ, Maxhimer JB (2002) Vascular complications associated with pancreaticoduodenectomy adversely affect clinical outcome. Surgery 132:738–747

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Klempnauer J, Grothues F, Bektas H et al (1997) Long-term results after surgery for acute mesenteric ischemia. Surgery 121:239–243

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Koda R, Imanishi Y, Yoshino A et al (2013) Persistent metabolic acidosis in a hemodialyzed patient with short bowel syndrome. Intern Med 52:1379–1382

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Limketkai BN, Parian AM, Shah ND et al (2016) Short bowel syndrome and intestinal failure in Crohn’s disease. Inflamm Bowel Dis 22:1209–1218

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Markogiannakis H, Messaris E, Dardamanis D, Pararas N, Tzertzemelis D, Giannopoulos P, Larentzakis A, Lagoudianakis E, Manouras A, Bramis I (2007) Acute mechanical bowel obstruction: clinical presentation, etiology, management and outcome. World J Gastroenterol 13:432–437

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • McBride CL, Petersen A, Sudan D et al (2006) Short bowel syndrome following bariatric procedures. Am J Surg 192:828–832

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Messing B, Crenn P, Beau P, Boutron-Ruault M, Rambaud J, Matuchansky C (1999) Long-term survival and parenteral nutrition dependence in adult patients with the short bowel syndrome. Gastroenterology 117:1043–1050

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Nishida S et al (2004) Intestinal and multivisceral transplantation after abdominal trauma. J Trauma Acute Care Surg 56:323–327

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nygren A, Thorén A, Ricksten SE (2006) Vasopressors and intestinal mucosal perfusion after cardiac surgery: norepinephrine vs. phenylephrine. Crit Care Med 34:722–729

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ofer A, Abadi S, Nitecki S (2009) Multidetector CT angiography in the evaluation of acute mesenteric ischemia. Eur Radiol 19:24–30

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Oldenburg WA, Lau LL, Rodenburg TJ et al (2004) Acute mesenteric ischemia: a clinical review. Arch Intern Med 164:1054–1062

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rashid FT (2010) A review article on gastric volvulus: a challenge to diagnosis and management. Int J Surg 8:18–24

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rosenblat JM, Rozenblit AM, Wolf EL, RA DB, Den EI, Levsky JM (2010) Findings of cecal volvulus at CT. Radiology 256:169

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sandler AS, Golden AL (1986) Epidemiology of Crohn’s disease. J Clin Gastroenterol 8:160–165

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Schmidt T, Pfeiffer A, Hackelsberger N et al (1996) Effecy of intestinal resection on human small bowel motility. Gut 38:859–863

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Schneider C, Cobb W, Scott J, Carbonell A, Myers K, Bour E (2011) Rapid excess weight loss following laparoscopic gastric bypass leads to increased risk of internal hernia. Surg Endosc 25:2594–2598

    Google Scholar 

  • Singal AK, Kamath PS, Tefferi A (2013) Mesenteric venous thrombosis. Mayo Clin Proc 88:285–294

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sise MJ (2014) Acute Mesenteric Ischemia. Surg Clin N Am 94:165–181

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Tang E, Davis J, Silberman H (1995) Bowel obstruction in cancer patients. Arch Surg 130:836–837

    Google Scholar 

  • Thompson JS, Kishore IR, DiBaise JK et al (2003) Short bowel syndrome and Crohn’s disease. J Gastrointest Surg 7:1069–1072

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Thompson JS, DiBiase JK, Iyer KR (2005) Postoperative short bowel syndrome. J Am Coll Surg 201:85–89

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Thompson JS, Rochling FA, Weseman RA, Mercer DF (2012a) Current management of short bowel syndrome. Curr Probl Surg 49:52–115

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Thompson JS, Weseman RA, Rochling FA et al (2012b) Preresection obesity increases the risk of hepatobiliary complications in short bowel syndrome. Forum Nutr 4:1358–1366

    Google Scholar 

  • Thompson JS, Weseman RA, Mercer DF et al (2017) Risk of intestinal malignancy in patients with short bowel syndrome. J Parenter Enter Nutr 41:562–565

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Turina M, Mulhall AM, Mahid SS, Yashar C, Galandiuk S (2008) Frequency and surgical management of chronic complications related to pelvic radiation. Arch Surg 43:46–52

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Uchino M, Ikeuchi H, Bando T et al (2012) Risk factors for short bowel syndrome in patients with Crohn’s disease. Surg Today 42:447–452

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Weng CC, Chen Y (2015) Effects of different parenteral nutrition infusions in a patient with short bowel syndrome. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr 24:184–187

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Yanez R, Spitz L (1986) Intestinal malrotation presenting outside the neonatal period. Arch Dis Child 61:682–685

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Gary A. Lindenbaum .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2018 Springer International Publishing AG

About this entry

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this entry

Lindenbaum, G.A., Marks, J.A., Price, T.P., Costa, S.A. (2018). Causes of Short Bowel Syndrome in Adults. In: Shah, A., Doria, C. (eds) Contemporary Small Bowel Transplantation. Organ and Tissue Transplantation. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-05547-3_24-1

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-05547-3_24-1

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-05547-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-05547-3

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference MedicineReference Module Medicine

Publish with us

Policies and ethics