Home parenteral nutrition in infants

The effects of prolonged home total parenteral nutrition on growth and psychomotor development were studied in eight infants during a two-year period. Each patient was begun on HTPN in the first 60 days of life, using a Broviac silastic catheter for venous access. Normalization of somatic growth has been observed in all patients during the study period. Six of eight patients have normal psychomotor development following discharge from the hospital into the home environment. Catheter-related complications in this group have been infrequent; one episode of sepsis was documented during 121 patient-months. The major metabolic complication observed was the development of rickets despite provision of recommended doses of vitamin D. HTPN appears to be useful in providing nutritional support for selected infants during the first two years of life.