Short-bowel syndrome: a new alternative for surgical treatment

Background - The short bowel syndrome results of inadequate total length of small intestine that is not enough to nutrition, and so, the patients become dependents of total parenteral nutrition. Numerous surgical strategies had been studied to reestablish the normal intestinal function. Objective Consider the inversion segment of small intestine associated with STEP - Serial Transverse Enteroplasty - to increase the intestinal absorptive area in patients with short bowel syndrome. Method - The authors describe a new alternative for surgical treatment of short bowel syndrome, demonstrating it's easiness and efficiency for the considered objective. Results - The two techniques associated, had allowed lengthening the small intestine in 2,6 times the original length, with posterior profit of weight, reduction the number of evacuations. Conclusion This technique of inversion segment of small intestine and posterior STEP is efficient, appears as definitive and promising technique of treatment to short bowel syndrome allowing return to oral feeding, with satisfactory absorption of nutrients, return to normal intestinal movement, associated to low morbidity and improvement the quality of social and psychological life. It presents low morbidity and is a potential substitute to intestinal transplant.