Refeeding problems in a severe anorexia nervosa case

Anorexia Nervosa (AN) is an eating disorder of puberty or adolescence. It is characterized by self-induced weight loss; various psychological disturbances including distorted body image, fear of obesity, active pursuit of thinness and loss of recognition of a number of body enteroreceptive sensations; and secondary physiological abnormalities. The treatment of AN includes individual psychotherapy, family therapy, and nutritional rehabilitation. Hospital treatment is required when the patient's medical condition is in danger due to hypovolemia or hypotension. If cardiac arrhythmias occur without electrolyte disturbances or if oral therapy fails, nutrition should be repleted by the safest method available. This can be done by nasogastric tube or intravenous hyperalimentation. The management of AN is challenging, because the treatment process and anticipated outcome is in direct conflict with the sufferer's own wishes. A comprehensive treatment plan including both psychiatric and medical approaches is necessary. We report a severe AN case, who has refeeding problems after a three months' hospitalisation period. She was admitted to the child intensive care unit due to deterioration of her vital signs. We tried to solve her problems as a team, and believe that AN has a number of crucial problems thus requiring a multi-faceted treatment approach.