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Blind Loop Syndrome

When to Call Your Doctor

Call your doctor if you’ve had abdominal surgery and start having abdominal pain, constant diarrhea, or sudden weight loss.

In some people, part of the small intestine is bypassed and cut off from the regular flow of food. This bypassed section is called a blind loop. It can cause several different problems. For one, food can’t move through the loop. This makes digestive juices stagnate.

Sometimes abdominal surgery can cause blind loop syndrome. It can also be caused by structural defects in the stomach.

Diagnosis

Your doctor will probably do an abdominal X-ray first. He or she may also ask you to have a CT scan, a barium X-ray of your small intestine, or a certain type of breath test that shows bacterial growth.

Symptoms

Symptoms may include:

Poor appetite
Bloating
Abdominal pain
Nausea
Bloating
Diarrhea
Weight loss
Malnutrition

Treatment

Usually blind loop syndrome responds to antibiotics. When it doesn’t, surgery may be necessary.

Vanderbilt University Medical Center Main Number: 615-322-5000

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