The management of short bowel syndrome requires long-term nutritional support and monitoring, medication, and occasionally additional surgical procedures. Constant attention is required to ensure adequate adaptation of the gut. This article reviews the normal function of the small bowel, adaptation following resection, total parenteral and enteral nutrition, and the role of adjunctive surgical procedures in the management of short bowel syndrome.

No abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate effect of infection and surgery on serum iron, zinc, and the copper simultaneously. Twenty patients who had emergency abdominal surgery for acute inflammatory conditions, and 15 controls who had elective abdominal surgery were studied. Preoperatively, serum iron levels were significantly decreased in the septic group compared to controls (p less than 0.001). Following surgery and removal of the septic focus, serum iron, ferritin, and zinc levels increased, while serum transferrin levels decreased significantly. Serum copper levels did not show any significant difference. It is concluded that serum iron, transferrin, ferritin, and zinc levels are affected profoundly by septic and the surgical stress.

No abstract