Parenteral Nutrition: Practical Aspects

Abstract

Parenteral nutrition is now well established as a routine procedure in the management of patients unable to take sufficient food by mouth. The indication for parenteral nutrition is greatest therefore in services dealing with the critically ill patient or those with serious gastrointestinal disease and the practical aspects of management are related maintaining a simple, safe and easily controlled system of infusion which is economic to the patient and the service. The infusion system consists of a reservoir, an infusion set and a catheter which is the port of entry of the infused solution to the circulation and management is related to care of all three of these components.