Isoperistaltic bowel lengthening for short bowel syndrome in children

Background: Short bowel syndrome, secondary to a variety of causes, can be lethal in infancy and childhood. Isoperistaltic bowel lengthening, performed by longitudinal division of dilated small bowel with end-to-end anastomosis, has shown early promise but long-term outcome is unknown. Methods: Sixteen infants and children (aged 3 months to 14 years) had short bowel syndrome from necrotizing enterocolitis (8), gastroschisis (4), atresia (2), and volvulus (2). All of these patients were partially or totally dependent on parenteral nutrition and have undergone isoperistaltic bowel lengthening for short bowel syndrome (length