Short Bowel Syndrome and Dysmotility

Abstract

Due to recent advances, the mortality due to short bowel syndrome (SBS) has significantly decreased, but the morbidities are still high. Morbidities arising specifically due to dysmotility in SBS include feeding intolerance, prolonged dependence on parenteral nutrition, and associated complications such as intestinal failure associated liver disease, and bloodstream infections. The understanding of the pathogenesis of dysmotility in SBS has improved vastly. However, the tools to diagnose dysmotility in SBS in infants are restrictive, and the medical therapies to treat dysmotility are limited. Surgical techniques available for the treatment after failure of conservative management of dysmotility offer hope but carry their associated risks. The evidence to support either the medical therapies or the surgical techniques to treat dysmotility in SBS in children is scarce and weak. Development of newer therapies and efforts to build evidence to support currently available treatments in treating dysmotility in SBS is needed.

Keywords: Antidiarrheal agents; Hypermotility; Hypomotility; Intestinal failure; Prokinetics; Promotility agents; SBS; Short gut.