Short bowel syndrome is a group of problems related to poor absorption of nutrients. Short bowel syndrome typically occurs in people who have
had at least half of their small intestine removed and sometimes all or part of their large intestine removed
significant damage of the small intestine
poor motility, or movement, inside the intestines
Short bowel syndrome may be mild, moderate, or severe, depending on how well the small intestine is working.
People with short bowel syndrome cannot absorb enough water, vitamins, minerals, protein, fat, calories, and other nutrients from food. What nutrients the small intestine has trouble absorbing depends on which section of the small intestine has been damaged or removed.