Intestinal Rehabilitation

Intestinal Failure

Intestinal Failure
Evaluation
Services

Services

The Intestinal Rehabilitation and Transplantation Program offers a wide range of services for adults and children. Our team of experts includes pediatric doctors, surgeons, dietitians, nurses, child life specialists, social workers and pharmacists who will assess your child's individual needs and develop a treatment plan that best meets those needs. The type and length of treatment differs for each child, depending on their needs and goals.

Services include:

• Counseling and education about intestinal rehabilitation
• Drug and diet modification to train the small intestine to absorb more nutrients
• Consultations to help assess and correct nutrient deficiencies and prevent damage to kidneys, bones and liver
• Management of TPN to avoid complications
• Placement of catheters in veins called central venous lines and management of these catheters
• Surgery, such as bowel lengthening and tapering that can help increase bowel length and nutrient absorption
• Intestinal transplants
• Consultations with doctors caring for patients with intestinal failure

For patients dependent on TPN, the program provides services to help patients:

• Reduce or eliminate the need for TPN
• Reduce complications associated with TPN
• Decrease diarrhea and/or vomiting
• Gain weight
• Decrease the need for intestinal transplantation

Reviewed by health care specialists at UCSF Children's Hospital.
Last updated May 8, 2007