Recent Insights/Advances in Intestinal Failure Management

Dear Colleagues,

Intestinal failure is a condition characterized by a reduced capacity of the gastrointestinal tract to absorb sufficient nutrients, fluids and electrolytes, to such an extent that parenteral supplementation (PS) is needed to maintain health or growth. Chronic intestinal failure (CIF) is the rarest form of organ failure and a recognized rare disease (Orpha:294422). Short bowel syndrome (SBS) represents the most common etiology of CIF, but other conditions, such as enterocutaneous fistulae, severe mucosal disease and chronic motility disorders, can also impair the gut’s absorptive capacity and lead to CIF.

Patients with CIF require a specialized care and follow-up by a multidisciplinary team to stimulate intestinal adaptation and to avoid CIF- or PS-related complications such as intestinal failure associated liver disease and catheter-related infections.

Besides parenteral nutrition and fluids, the treatment of CIF encompasses dietary advice to optimize intestinal absorption, medical treatment including glucagon-like peptide 2 analogues (GLP-2) and surgical interventions (e.g., autologous intestinal reconstruction). In a minority of patients with life-threatening complications from CIF, intestinal transplantation is the last resort strategy.

In this Special Issue on Intestinal Failure Management, we welcome submissions (original studies and reviews) on various aspects of epidemiology, pathophysiology, complications, and management (including diet, medical therapy, surgery and transplantation) of adult and pediatric intestinal failure.

Dr. Geert Wanten
Prof. Dr. Tim Vanuytsel
Guest Editors

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