Short bowel syndrome (SBS, or simply short gut) is a rare malabsorption disorder caused by a lack of functional small intestine. The primary symptom is diarrhea, which can result in dehydration, malnutrition, and weight loss. Other symptoms may include bloating, heartburn, feeling tired, lactose intolerance, and foul-smelling stool. Complications can include anemia and kidney stones.Most cases are due to the surgical removal of a large portion of the small intestine. This is most often required due to Crohns disease in adults and necrotising enterocolitis in young children. Other causes include damage to the small intestine from other means and being born with an abnormally short intestine. It usually does not develop until less than 2 m (6.6 ft) of the normally 6.1 m (20 ft) small intestine remains.Treatment may include a specific diet, medications, or surgery. The diet may include slightly salty and slightly sweet liquids, vitamin and mineral supplements, small frequent meals, and the avoidance of high fat food. Occasionally nutrients need to be given through an intravenous line, known as parenteral nutrition. Medications used may include antibiotics, antacids, loperamide, teduglutide, and growth hormone. Different types of surgery, including an intestinal transplant, may help some people.Short bowel syndrome newly occurs in about three per million people each year. There are estimated to be about 15,000 people with the condition in the United States. The prevalence in the United States is approximately 30 cases per million and in Europe it is approximately 1.4 cases per million (but the rate varies widely between countries).
The prevalence of short bowel syndrome has increased by more than 2 fold in the last 40 years. It is classified as a rare disease by the European Medicines Agency. Outcomes depend on the amount of bowel remaining and whether or not the small bowel remains connected with the large bowel. Signs and symptoms
The symptoms of short bowel syndrome can include:
Abdominal pain
Diarrhea and steatorrhea (oily, bulky stool, which can be malodorous)
Fluid depletion
Weight loss and malnutrition
FatiguePersons with short bowel syndrome may have complications caused by malabsorption of vitamins and minerals, such as deficiencies in vitamins A, D, E, K, B9 (folic acid), and B12, calcium, magnesium, iron, and zinc. These may appear as anemia, hyperkeratosis (scaling of the skin), easy bruising, muscle spasms, poor blood clotting, and bone pain. Causes
Short bowel syndrome in adults and children is most commonly caused by surgery (intestinal resection). In those who undergo intestinal resection, approximately 15% eventually develop small bowel syndrome (75% of those due to 1 large resection and 25% due to multiple separate intestinal resections). This surgery may be done for:

Crohns disease, an inflammatory disorder of the digestive tract
Mesenteric ischemia, embolic or thrombotic events that may occur in the arteries or veins that supply or drain the intestines respectively, leading to disruption of blood supply to the intestines and ischemia.