ANOREXIA-NERVOSA AND ARTIFICIAL ALIMENTAT ION - EXPERIENCE IN PSYCHIATRIC-SERVICE FOR ADOLESCENTS AND YOUNG-ADULTS

This work exposes, mainly from technical point of view, the experience in a psychiatric service, in the area of tube feeding for anorexic pa tients. The practical aspects concerning the choice of an artificial n utrition lie on the need to preserve the life of the patient in a term inal situation, or in a situation where the defenses are totally block ed preventing any exchanges. Clinical and paraclinical criterias guide the choice, which needs to remain a choice of exception, because of t he physical and psychic intrusion that it enteils. A study on nine inp atients in our service, with benefited from an enteral nutrition, guid e the selection criteria and the follow-up. The counter indications an d complications found during the course of the authors' experience, em phasized several concepts in the psychopathologic of anorexia nervosa, especially the object's dependence and the process of separation-indi viduation.