A program for total parenteral nutrition at home

Abstract

Total parenteral nutrition is of undisputed value in improving and maintaining patients who are otherwise unable to ingest food adequately by mouth or by tube. A relatively simple closed system for the preparation of solutions and their administration permits safe application of total parenteral nutrition at home. Selected patients who otherwise will remain in hospital or die are able to have an acceptable quality of life at home in a good state of nutrition and with freedom from their intravenous solutions for many hours per day. Based on experience with eleven patients maintained on total parenteral nutrition at home, recommendations are made for patient selection, training, total parenteral nutrition composition, and follow-up.