Risk of Intestinal Malignancy in Patients With Short Bowel Syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Postresection intestinal adaptation is an augmented self-renewal process that might increase the risk of malignant transformation in the intestine. Furthermore, patients with short bowel syndrome (SBS) have other characteristics that might increase this risk. Our aim was to determine the incidence of new intestinal malignancy in SBS patients. METHODS: We reviewed the records of 500 adult SBS patients identified from 1982-2013. There were 199 men and 301 women ranging in age from 19-91 years. Follow-up from the time of diagnosis of SBS ranged from 12-484 months. A total of 186 (37%) patients were followed >5 years. RESULTS: The cause of SBS was postoperative in 35% of patients, malignancy/radiation in 19%, mesenteric vascular disease in 17%, Crohn's disease in 16%, and other in 13%. Twenty-eight (6%) patients received growth stimulatory medications. Fifteen percent of patients had a prior total colectomy. Twenty-eight (6%) patients underwent intestinal transplantation, and 115 (23%) patients had a previous abdominal malignancy, including colorectal cancer in 43 patients. Thirty-six (7%) received radiation therapy. Recurrent colon cancer was found in 2 patients, one at a stoma and the other with lung metastases. New colon cancer was found in 1 patient (0.2%), a 62-year-old woman with long-standing Crohn's disease. CONCLUSION: The incidence of colon cancer in this heterogenous group of patients with SBS was similar to that of the normal population. This suggests that the risk of developing a new colon cancer in patients with SBS is not increased.

Cholecystectomy and Liver Disease in Short Bowel Syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Recently, an association has been proposed between cholecystectomy and various liver diseases. Our aim was to determine whether cholecystectomy in short bowel patients influences the risk of liver disease. METHODS: We reviewed 422 adults: 182 underwent cholecystectomy prior to short bowel, 102 after developing short bowel, and 138 patients still had the gallbladder in place. RESULTS: Compared to pre and post short bowel, gallbladder patients were significantly less likely to have obesity (18 % and 21 % vs 9 %), central line infections (59 % and 69 % vs 46 %), intestine <60 cm (30 % and 39 % vs 26 %), and require parenteral nutrition >1 year (72 % and 77 % vs 64 %). The incidence of fatty liver was similar (31, 26, and 25 %). Fibrosis/cirrhosis was less common in the gallbladder group (26 % and 36 % vs 16 %). Frequency of end-stage liver disease was similar (15, 22, and 11 %). On multivariate analysis, cholecystectomy, parenteral nutrition >1 year, line infection, and intestine <60 cm were predictors of fibrosis/cirrhosis. Parenteral nutrition >1 year, line infection, and intestine <60 cm were predictors of end-stage liver disease. CONCLUSIONS: Cholecystectomy does not appear to increase the incidence of liver disease in short bowel patients overall. Fibrosis/cirrhosis occurs significantly less frequently in patients with an intact gallbladder.

Pre-resection gastric bypass reduces post-resection body mass index but not liver disease in short bowel syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Obese patients developing short bowel syndrome (SBS) maintain a higher body mass index (BMI) and have increased risk of hepatobiliary complications. Our aim was to determine the effect of pre-resection gastric bypass (GBP) on SBS outcome. METHODS: We reviewed 136 adults with SBS: 69 patients with initial BMI < 35 were controls; 43 patients with BMI > 35 were the obese group; and 24 patients had undergone GBP before SBS. RESULTS: BMI at 1, 2, and 5 years was similar in control and GBP groups, whereas obese patients had a persistently increased BMI. Eight (33%) of the GBP patients had a pre-resection BMI > 35, but post-SBS BMI was similar to those <35. Obese patients were more likely to wean off PN (47% vs 20% control and 12% GBP, P < .05). Radiographic fatty liver tended to be higher in the GBP group (54% vs 19% control and 35% obese). End-stage liver disease occurred more frequently in obese and GBP patients (30% and 33% vs 13%, P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: Pre-resection GBP prevents the nutritional benefits of obesity but does not eliminate the increased risk of hepatobiliary disease in obese SBS patients. This occurs independent of pre-SBS BMI suggesting the importance of GBP itself or history of obesity rather than weight loss.

Preresection obesity increases the risk of hepatobiliary complications in short bowel syndrome.

Patients developing the short bowel syndrome (SBS) are at risk for hepatobiliary disease, as are morbidly obese individuals. We hypothesized that morbidly obese SBS individuals would be at increased risk for developing hepatobiliary complications. We reviewed 79 patients with SBS, 53 patients with initial body mass index (BMI) < 35 were controls. Twenty-six patients with initial BMI > 35 were the obese group. Obese patients were more likely to be weaned off parenteral nutrition (PN) (58% vs. 21%). Pre-resection BMI was significantly lower in controls (26 vs. 41). BMI at 1, 2, and 5 years was decreased in controls but persistently increased in obese patients. Obese patients were more likely to undergo cholecystectomy prior to SBS (42% vs. 32%) and after SBS (80% vs. 39%, p < 0.05). Fatty liver was more frequent in the obese group prior to SBS (23% vs. 0%, p < 0.05) but was similar to controls after SBS (23% vs. 15%). Fibrosis (8% vs. 13%) and cirrhosis/portal hypertension (19% vs. 21%) were similar in obese and control groups. Overall, end stage liver disease (ESLD) was similar in obese and control groups (19% vs. 11%) but was significantly higher in obese patients receiving PN (45% vs. 14%, p < 0.05). Obese patients developing SBS are at increased risk of developing hepatobiliary complications. ESLD was similar in the two groups overall but occurs more frequently in obese patients maintained on chronic PN.

Review of incidence and management of chylous ascites after small bowel transplantation.

Nutrition management of intestinal transplant recipients continues to be a challenging and essential component of the early postoperative care of this patient population. The absorptive capacity of the graft can be affected by immunologic and nonimmunologic factors, including enteric lymphatic disruption, preservation injury, central denervation, viral enteritis, systemic infections, and rejection. Chylous ascites, the extravasation of milky chyle into the peritoneal fluid, defined by elevated triglycerides levels of > or = 200 mg/dL, can occur as a result of trauma, obstruction, or interruption of the lymphatic system. It seems the incidence of chylous ascites after small bowel transplantation is low; however, this may be due in part to the limitation of enteral long-chain triglycerides in the early posttransplant period of 2-6 weeks. After this time frame, clinical evidence suggests that fat assimilation normalizes. In the event that chylous ascites develop as a posttransplant complication, limitation of oral or enteral nutrition support to a very-low-fat regimen may be required, or parenteral nutrition (PN) will need to be provided until clinical status improves. Long-term posttransplant, lymphatic regeneration generally occurs and the majority of intestinal transplant recipients achieve the ultimate goal of nutrition autonomy.

Nutrition management of small bowel transplant patients.

Nutrition therapy after small bowel or combined liver/small bowel transplantation is challenging. The objective is to restore enteral autonomy to a patient with a complex past surgical history and equally complex posttransplant immunosuppressive regimen in the context of a newly created surgical anatomy. Improved surgical techniques and immunosuppressive regimens have led to superior outcomes. Accompanying these advances is a range of nutrition issues that require specific management strategies. This review outlines the current clinical practice and decision making used to create individualized nutrition regimens for small bowel or combined liver/small bowel transplant recipients. Successful small bowel transplant outcomes require a coordinated effort from a transplant team to restore nutritional autonomy to transplant recipients and free them from parenteral nutrition.