[Enteral tube feeding versus parenteral infusion therapy--metabolic aspects]

A sufficient nutrition of seriously ill patients is uninevitable. Basically we have two possibilities: the enteral and the parenteral nutrition. The enteral nutrition therapy shows only few complications and is well tolerated by patients. The standard diet is the high molecular diet. If the absorption performance of the small intestine is limited the chemically defined diet including the oligopeptide diet haven proven themselves as efficient. On the other hand the parenteral nutrition is indicated when quick metabolic changes or specific influence on aminoacid-homoeostasis are desirable. Furthermore parenteral nutrition is necessary in all diseases which won't allow enteral nutrition.