Short Bowel Syndrome

Book excerpt: Short Bowel Syndrome: Practical Approach to Management is the first reference exclusively about the issues experienced by patients with a short bowel. It covers all aspects of normal and abnormal physiology, the presenting features, and outcomes, including metabolic problems, gallstones, and renal stones. It discusses both medical and surgical treatments, including intestinal transplantation. The use of growth factors, which is likely in the future to become increasingly important in promoting intestinal structural adaptation, is extensively discussed. Special emphasis is given to the psychosocial aspects of the quality of life of patients, including support groups. Emphasis is also given to the importance of an experienced multidisciplinary team in caring for these patients. This book is particularly timely given the recent advances in the management of Short Bowel Syndrome, including the availability of pharmacologic agents to enhance intestinal absorption, refinements in parenteral nutrition, and surgical procedures designed to eliminate the need for parenteral nutrition support. The goal of this international, interdisciplinary book is to bring the subject of Short Bowel Syndrome to a wide audience. A wide range of specialists have contributed to this book to provide various viewpoints on the state-of-the-art care of those with this condition.