Patients with poor intestinal function who cannot be maintained on intravenous feedings are potential candidates for transplantation. Sometimes, most of the bowel has been surgically removed to treat the disease. This produces the short-gut syndrome, which is the most common cause of intestinal failure. Sometimes, the entire intestine is present, but it is unable to absorb enough fluids and nutrients.

Diseases leading to intestinal transplantation include:

• short-gut syndrome caused by volvulus, gastroschisis, trauma, necrotizing enterocolitis, ischemia, Crohn's disease
  
• poor absorption caused by microvillus inclusion, secretory diarrhea, autoimmune enteritis
• poor motility caused by pseudo-obstruction, ananglionosis (Hirschprung's disease), visceral neuropathy
• tumor or cancer such as desmoid tumor, familial polyposis (Gardner's disease)