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SynopsisCodesLook ForDiagnostic PearlsDifferential Diagnosis & PitfallsBest TestsManagement PearlsTherapyReferences
Emergency: requires immediate attention
Afferent loop syndrome
Other Resources UpToDate PubMed
Emergency: requires immediate attention

Afferent loop syndrome

Contributors: Abhijeet Waghray MD, Nishant H. Patel MD, Desiree Rivera-Nieves MD, Khaled Bittar MD, Paritosh Prasad MD
Other Resources UpToDate PubMed

Synopsis

Afferent loop syndrome (ALS) is a complication of partial gastrectomy, gastrojejunostomy, and Roux-en-Y reconstruction surgery where the afferent loop of the small bowel is completely or partially obstructed. This can manifest as an acute or chronic syndrome. ALS is characterized by abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, and severe bilious vomiting. It can be associated with cholangitis, malabsorption syndrome, and intestinal bacterial overgrowth. Life-threatening acute onset ALS usually follows shortly after surgery and can manifest as complete obstruction, a serious medical emergency. Onset of chronic ALS may occur years after surgery.

It can be prevented by careful choice of appropriate gastric or abdominal surgical technique. Following surgery, when complete obstruction occurs due to afferent loop, the type of corrective surgery depends on the cause and is of immediate urgency.

Codes

ICD10CM:
K91.89 – Other postprocedural complications and disorders of digestive system

SNOMEDCT:
20813000 – Afferent Loop Syndrome

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Last Updated:03/03/2024
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Emergency: requires immediate attention
Afferent loop syndrome
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A medical illustration showing key findings of Afferent loop syndrome : Abdominal pain, Diarrhea, Nausea, Vomiting
Copyright © 2024 VisualDx®. All rights reserved.