Congenital short small intestine: a rare occurrence

Congenital short bowel syndrome: systematic review of a rare condition

BACKGROUND

Congenital short bowel syndrome (CSBS) is a rare gastrointestinal disorder caused by intrauterine reduction of small bowel length whose etiology is still unknown. Chronic diarrhea, vomiting, and failure to thrive are the most important complications, arising from less absorptive intestinal surface. This review examines clinical features and outcomes of CSBS patients.

METHODS

A PubMed and EMBASE research on CSBS was performed. Inclusion criterion was congenital short bowel diagnosis in a range of ages between 33 weeks of gestational age and 15 years old (IQR 38 days). Exclusion criteria were history of atresia of any part of the gastrointestinal tract and extensive surgical bowel resections. Qualitative and quantitative variables were collected and analyzed. Data were expressed in mean and IQR.

RESULTS

Sixty-one patients were identified (38 males, 23 females) from 1969 to date. Mean bowel length was 58.24 cm (IQR 37.5). Malrotation of the midgut was seen in 98.4% of cases. Our data showed an interesting trend in improving the survival rate of these patients (from 28.5% before 2008 to 75% in the period after 2008). Sepsis was the most frequent cause of death reported (57.9%). Interestingly, 18 patients were genetically analyzed, finding mutations either in FLNA gene (38.8%) or in CLMP gene (61.1%).

CONCLUSIONS

CSBS is a condition that seems to be related to an autosomal recessive (CLMP) or an X linked (FLNA) type of inheritance. Advance in medical management seems to have improved survival of these children in recent years. Further genetic studies can better understand the causes of this disease aiming to create personalized treatment.

TYPE OF STUDY

Systematic review.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level IV.

Congenital short bowel syndrome: a case report and review of the literature

Congenital short bowel syndrome (SBS) is a rare condition of the newborn, with several reports demonstrating high mortality. A six-week-old boy presented with chronic diarrhea and failure to thrive. An upper gastrointestinal endoscopy showed a straight duodenum, and multiple small bowel biopsies were histologically normal. An upper gastrointestinal series showed malrotation. At laparotomy, the small bowel was 50 cm in length, confirming the diagnosis of congenital SBS. Parenteral nutrition was initiated and enteral feeding with an amino acid-based formula containing long-chain fatty acids was introduced early and gradually advanced. At the last follow-up examination at 24 months, he was thriving on a regular diet, with normal growth and development. Long-term survival of children with congenital SBS is now possible if enteral feeds are introduced early to promote intestinal adaptation, with subsequent weaning off parenteral nutrition.

Long-term survival of a patient with congenital short bowel and malrotation

Since 1969, reports of 16 patients presenting with the congenital short bowel and malrotation syndrome have been published. The prognosis of this malformation is poor; only two patients survived. We present the history of a third patient, successfully treated with long-term survival.

Functional intestinal obstruction associated with malrotation and short small-bowel

Two siblings are presented in whom a recognized syndrome of functional small-bowel obstruction with malrotation and short small-bowel was diagnosed. The previously described association with pyloric stenosis was not present in our cases. They do, however, support the view that this syndrome has an autosomal recessive model of inheritance. A deficiency of argyrophil neurones in the myenteric plexus has been noted in this syndrome but more precise neurohistochemical studies are required to define the exact deficit involved.

Congenital short bowel

Congenital short bowel with malrotation or nonrotation but without atresia is a very rare anomaly. Two male siblings having the same condition are reported here and in addition the other four cases previously cited in the English literature are reviewed.

Functional intestinal obstruction due to deficiency of argyrophil neurones in the myenteric plexus. Familial syndrome presenting with short small bowel, malrotation, and pyloric hypertrophy

In 3 infants functional intestinal obstruction, associated with a short small intestine, malrotation, and pyloric hypertrophy, was shown to be due to failure of development of the argyrophil myenteric plexus, with the absence of ongoing peristalsis. 4 infants with similar clinical features have been described previously, and there is evidence for an autosomal recessive mode of inheritance of this syndrome.