[Hypocaloric peripheral parenteral nutrition]

Abstract

We carried out a prospective study of a group of 84 patients entering the Digestive Surgery Service for surgery, dividing them at random into two groups, one fed with peripheral parenteral nutrition (PPN) and the other with conventional serum therapy during the period of post-operative fasting. The aim of this study was to see whether PNN can provide significant benefits from a nutritional stand-point in comparison with the traditional serum treatment used until now. We appraised the nutritional state immediately prior to the operation, at the time of hospital admission, and compared it with that one week following the operation. We found improvements in the PNN group. The deterioration following surgery occurred in the two groups in significant form, although less in patients treated with PNN, in whom there was no variation in the nutritional state on admission and one week following surgery, while such a variation did occur in those undergoing serum therapy. PNN is a good option where the digestive pipe cannot be used as nutrient input, for a period of time which is not prolonged, but different solutions must continue to be examined which provide a greater nutritional substrate that that used by us.