PROLONGED PERIPHERAL PARENTERAL-NUTRITION WITH AN ULTRAFINE CANNULA AND LOW-OSMOLALITY FEED

Peripheral parenteral nutrition is an attractive alternative to centra lly delivered parenteral nutrition because it obviates the need for ce ntral venous cannulation and its attendant complications. Some 45 cons ecutive patients were fed peripherally using a 22-G polyurethane cathe ter and a fat-based, low-osmolality feed. Of these patients, 36 were f ed for a median of 8.5 (range 3-31) days without peripheral vein throm bophlebitis (PVT). Seven patients developed PVT after a median of 6 (r ange 5-7) days. The cumulative daily risk of PVT was 0.016 episodes pe r day. These results suggest that prolonged (more than 7 days) problem -free peripheral parenteral nutrition is possible.