Short bowel syndrome

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Short bowel syndrome

Short bowel syndrome is condition of nutritional malabsorption related to the surgical removal or disease of a large portion of the small intestine.

When areas of the small intestine are removed surgically, there may not be enough surface area left in the remaining bowel to adequately absorb nutrients from food.

This condition is particularly likely to develop when one-half or more of the bowel is removed during surgery. Risk factors include diseases of the small intestine that may require surgical intervention such as regional enteritis or Crohn's disease. Necrotizing enterocolitis is a common cause of this syndrome in infants.

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