[New technique for intestinal lengthening -- from the idea to the clinical application].

Introduction: In severe short bowel syndrome, as a result of the natural adaptation, the bowel becomes overdilated, this interferes with the persitalsis and may lead to stasis, bacterial translocation and sepsis. At present two techniques are used to improve peristalsis. The Bianchi procedure is technically challenging, the Serial Transverse Enteroplasty (STEP) is easy however it results in an aphysiological ultrastructure altering the orientation of the muscle fibres.

The first clinical application of the spiral intestinal lengthening and tailoring (silt) in extreme short bowel syndrome.

Aim: Spiral Intestinal Lengthening and Tailoring (SILT) invented by our team is a new technique that offers minimal mesenteric handling and a more physiological result compared to the STEP procedure. Its feasibility has been tested in animal models and now we report the first successful human application in extreme short bowel syndrome.

Materials And Methods: A 3-year-old girl suffered subtotal loss of her small bowel and ileocaecal junction as a result of midgut volvulus.