Nutritional Management of Pediatric Patients with Short Bowel Syndrome

Short Bowel Syndrome (SBS) and associated nutritional deficiencies result from massive bowel resection. The most common causes of SBS are necrotizing enterocolitis and intestinal atresia, but the condition may be caused by any condition that results in necrotic bowel tissue. Significant research exists regarding the nutritional management of these patients in the immediate post-operative period via total parenteral nutrition and regarding the transition to enteral nutrition for short-term management. Other nutritional and psychological research shows that oral feeding should be the long-term goal for these patients due to the psychological and social benefits of oral feeding. In the long-term management stage of SBS, oral feeding and enteral feeding are comparable in maintaining nutritional status. Despite the mass of literature regarding types of nutrition management, little to no research exists regarding the transition from enteral nutrition to oral nutrition. This research project proposes additional study of the long-term impacts of oral nutrition on SBS patients and the optimal transition from enteral to oral nutrition.