Short bowel syndrome

No preventive measures exist. Patients at risk for bowel thrombosis (atrial fibrillation or valvular heart disease) should be encouraged to be compliant with their medications. Aggressive treatment of underlying small bowel diseases such as Crohn disease should be encouraged to reduce the need for the bowel resections that lead to SBS. Likewise, if Crohn disease-related strictures develop, strictureplasty rather than resection should be used if possible.

Patients with SBS are at high risk of osteoporosis; they require calcium and vitamin D supplementation and, in some cases, bisphosphonate therapy. A low-oxalate diet is given to prevent nephrolithiasis. Oral food intake can help protect against gallstone formation by stimulating cholecystokinin release, which causes the gallbladder to contract. Additional zinc may be required in patients with significant diarrhea to prevent zinc deficiency through fecal loss.