Surgical options
Your child may benefit from a surgical procedure that may help the intestine function more efficiently. A common surgical procedure is called a serial transverse enteroplasty (STEP).
What is the STEP procedure?
The surgeons make multiple incisions into a short, dilated segment of intestine to create a thinner segment of intestine. This can help absorption in that part of the intestine and help it to function more efficiently.
What are the benefits?
Once the intestine is extremely dilated, meaning it expands but doesn’t contract normally, it may function poorly and lead to bacterial infections, including small bowel bacterial overgrowth (SBBO). This can lead to poor nutrition and absorption of calories. By performing this procedure, the goal is to decrease infections and/or improve the nutritional status of our patients.