CATHETER-RELATED MORBIDITY IN PATIENTS ON HOME PARENTERAL-NUTRITION -IMPLICATIONS FOR SMALL-BOWEL TRANSPLANTATION

Until recently, Home Parenteral Nutrition (HPN) has been the only real option for patients with intestinal failure. Small bowel transplantat ion (SBT) is advancing rapidly, however, and may soon provide an alter native for these patients. One of the arguments in favour of SBT is th e alleged morbidity of prolonged parenteral nutrition. We have assesse d the catheter-related morbidity in a large cohort of patients on HPN. A total of 88 central venous catheters were required in 50 patients. The main complications were sepsis (24 episodes) and occlusion (18 epi sodes). The overall incidence of catheter-related morbidity was one ep isode per 46 patient-months of HPN.