Reversed Intestinal Segment Revisited.

BACKGROUND: Reversed segments (RS) designed to slow intestinal transit and improve absorption in patients with short bowel syndrome (SBS) are performed infrequently, and patient selection remains controversial. Our aim was to evaluate patient selection and outcome for RS in SBS patients.

METHODS: Sixteen adult patients underwent RS among 520 SBS patients. All patients had remnant length >80 cm and rapid intestinal transit. Ten patients had a colon remnant and 12 had an ostomy. SBS was present for 8 to 150 months prior to RS.

RESULTS: RS was performed either alone (n = 9) or concurrently with ostomy closure (n = 5) or creation (n = 2). There were 3 postoperative complications and no deaths. Three patients had bacterial overgrowth. One required repair of an ileocolonic stricture. Two reversed segments were taken down 12 months and 96 months later. Two patients subsequently underwent serial transverse enteroplasty (STEP) procedures, and 1 had isolated intestinal transplant. Fourteen (88%) required parenteral nutrition (PN) pre-operatively and 2 (12%) had intractable diarrhea. Nine (56%) patients improved and 7 (44%) remained on PN or had persistent intractable diarrhea. Patients with a successful outcome were similar to those without improvement with respect to ostomy takedown, duration of SBS, Crohn's disease, intestinal length, a colon remnant, anatomy, and transit time.

CONCLUSIONS: Reversed segments significantly benefit one half of selected SBS patients who have rapid transit but adequate remnant length. Outcome in individual patients remains difficult to predict. Subsequent operation is frequently required. This procedure is applicable to a small proportion of SBS patients.