SURGICAL NUTRITIONAL TEAM AND ITS IMPACT ON TOTAL PARENTERAL-NUTRITION IN THE NATIONAL-UNIVERSITY-HOSPITAL, SINGAPORE

The Surgical Nutrition Advisory Team (SNAT) of our hospital, formed in October 1992, decided to study the impact of such a team on the six m onths before and after its formation on catheter care and nutritional support in total parenteral nutrition, Our study showed that with a de dicated nutritional team, catheter sepsis was reduced from 35.1% to 15 .4%, The median lifespan of central catheters was increased from 7 to 11 days, Mechanical complications were reduced from 11% to zero. Bette r patient selection resulted in more severely malnourished patients re ceiving preoperative nutrition and fewer postoperative patients being started on total parenteral nutrition. Better monitoring of nutritiona l requirements, electrolyte and metabolite levels and consequently fas ter correction of abnormal blood levels, were also obtained.