Long-term parenteral nutrition

SummaryParenteral nutrition (PN) represents a life-saving intervention for children with intestinal failure (IF). Following initial hospitalisation, management at home offers a good quality of life. The techniques for providing safe and effective PN are well established, although many are based on expert opinion rather than randomised, controlled trials. Catheter-related bloodstream infection, IF-associated liver disease and venous thrombosis remain the most common serious complications of long-term PN. Supervision by multidisciplinary nutritional support teams allows optimisation of risks and benefits. When complications are life threatening in nature, consideration should be given to intestinal transplantation. In the only UK centre performing this surgery, 5-year survival at the present time is 52%.