Small bowel resection

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Small intestine surgery; Bowel resection - small intestine; Resection of part of the small intestine; Enterectomy

Risks for any surgery are:

• Blood clots in the legs that may travel to the lungs
• Breathing problems
• Bleeding inside your belly
• Heart attack or stroke
• Infection, including in the lungs, urinary tract, and belly

Risks for this surgery include:

• Bulging tissue through the incision, called an incisional hernia
• Damage to nearby organs in the body
• Many episodes of diarrhea
• Problems with your ileostomy
• Scar tissue that forms in your belly and causes a blockage of your intestines
• Short bowel syndrome (when a large amount of the small intestine needs to be removed), which may lead to problems absorbing important nutrients and vitamins
• The ends of your intestines that are sewn together comes apart (anastomotic leak -- this may be life-threatening)
• Wound breaking open (dehiscence)
• Wound infections

Review Date: 01/24/2011
Reviewed By: Shabir Bhimji, MD, PhD, Specializing in General Surgery, Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, Midland, TX. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org).

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