Surgical complications requiring massive bowel resection after gastrectomy are rare. However, when such an event occurs the patient may develop short bowel syndrome and intestinal failure. We report our experience of intestinal rehabilitation in four post-gastrectomy patients.
From January 2011 to June 2014, four cases of short bowel syndrome were identified in post-gastrectomy patients. All patients were managed by a multidisciplinary team specialized in the care of intestinal failure patients. Patients’ medical records were reviewed retrospectively.
The original diagnosis was early gastric cancer in all patients. One patient had synchronous esophageal cancer. Patients required extensive bowel resection due to bowel strangulation from internal herniation (3 cases), superior mesenteric artery torsion (1 case). Remnant small bowel length ranged from 10 cm to 80 cm and partial resection of the colon was performed in three cases. One patient received serial transverse enteroplasty (STEP) and one patient is receiving continuous enteral feeding via surgical gastrostomy. There were no cases of intestinal failure-associated liver disease. Two patients are receiving home parenteral nutrition in varying degrees. Two patients have been weaned off parenteral nutrition.
Four post-gastrectomy patients with short bowel syndrome were managed. Despite application of various medical and surgical measures, weaning off parenteral nutrition was difficult in these patients.