Hi, I'm Cathy with Level Up RN. In this video, I'm going to continue my coverage of topics from our Level Up RN nutrition flashcard deck. Specifically, I'll be talking about nutritional guidance for short bowel syndrome, diverticulitis, and ostomies. At the end of the video, I'm going to give you guys a quiz to test your understanding of some of the key points I'll be covering. So definitely stay tuned for that. And if you have our flashcards, go ahead and pull them out so you can follow along with me.
Let's start off by talking about short bowel syndrome, which is where we have a decrease in the length of the small intestine. This is typically the result of a surgery to remove part of the intestine due to an underlying disease. So when we have a decrease in the length of the small intestine, this means that we have decreased surface area available for the absorption of nutrients. So malabsorption is going to be a key issue with this disorder. Signs and symptoms of short bowel syndrome include malnutrition, weight loss, diarrhea, dehydration, and electrolyte imbalances. Treatment is mainly focused on nutritional support. And many individuals with short bowel syndrome will require parenteral nutrition. However, nutritional support may also include enteral nutrition, oral rehydration solutions, and diet modifications.
Now let's talk about diverticulitis. So diverticulosis is a condition where sac-like protrusions called diverticula develop in the digestive tract, typically in the lower part of the colon. Diverticulitis occurs when those diverticula become inflamed or infected. Signs and symptoms of diverticulitis include severe pain in the left lower quadrant of the abdomen, fever and chills, as well as nausea and vomiting. In terms of nutritional guidance, during an acute exacerbation of diverticulitis, NPO, then a clear liquid diet is typically recommended to help rest the colon. Once symptoms improve, solid foods can be added back in, starting with low fiber foods. And then once symptoms resolve, high fiber foods should be gradually added back into the diet. And ongoing, patients with diverticulosis are typically advised to consume a high-fiber diet.
Finally, let's talk about ostomies. An ostomy is a surgical procedure where part of the intestine is rerouted to the abdomen, forming a stoma. With a colostomy, the stoma is created from part of the large intestine as opposed to an ileostomy, where the stoma is created using part of the small intestine. In terms of nutritional guidance, patients with an ostomy are typically advised to consume a low-fiber diet for the first six weeks after their procedure. Increased fluid intake is also important, particularly for patients with an ileostomy because they lose a lot more fluid in their ostomy output. Patients are also advised to chew their foods thoroughly in order to prevent a stomal blockage, and they should also consume their meals on a schedule to help promote a regular bowel pattern. And then foods that cause gas and/or odor should be avoided, such as alcohol, cabbage, dairy products, broccoli, beans, and eggs.
All right, it's quiz time. Are you guys ready? Question number one: What condition is characterized by a decreased small bowel length and malabsorption?
The answer is short bowel syndrome.
Question number two: During an exacerbation of diverticulitis, is a low or high-fiber diet recommended?
The answer is low fiber. And then once the patient's symptoms resolve, high-fiber foods should be added back into the diet. And ongoing for diverticulosis, a high-fiber diet is recommended.
Question number three: Why do individuals with an ostomy need to chew their foods thoroughly?
The answer is to prevent a stomal blockage.
All right. That's it for this video. I hope it was helpful. Take care and good luck with studying.
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Once symptoms resolve, then high-fiber--
