What is Intestinal Failure?
- Intestinal failure is the inability of the small bowel to ingest, digest and absorb nutrients, water and electrolytes required to maintain the nutritional status in adults and growth in children.
- Intestinal failure (IF) results from:
- Blockage in the intestine
- Inability of the intestinal track to move food through the intestine
- Surgical procedures that result in partial or complete loss of the small intestine
- Congenital defects that cause loss of the small intestine
- Congenital defects that cause the small intestine not to absorb fluid or nutrition