Total Parenteral Nutrition

Key points

• Commonly used in nutritionally compromised surgical patients
• Bags contain combinations of glucose, lipids and essential electrolytes, the exact composition is determined by the patients nutritional requirements.
• Although it may be infused peripherally, this may result in thrombophlebitis.
• Longer term infusions should be administered into a central vein (preferably via a PICC line).
• Complications are related to sepsis, re-feeding syndromes and hepatic dysfunction