Short Bowel Syndrome - Pathophysiology

Pathophysiology

In healthy adults, the small intestine has an average length of approximately 6 meters (19.7 feet). Short bowel syndrome usually develops when there is less than 2 meters (6.6 feet) of the small intestine left to absorb sufficient nutrients.

Short bowel syndrome caused by the surgical removal of a portion of the bowel may be a temporary condition, due to the adaptive property of the small intestine.

In a process called intestinal adaptation, physiological changes to the remaining portion of the small intestine occur to increase its absorptive capacity. These changes include:

• Enlargement and lengthening of the villi found in the lining
• Increase in the diameter of the small intestine
• Slow down in peristalsis or movement of food through the small intestine