[Parenteral nutrition in gastro-intestinal surgery (author's transl)]

Forty-two postoperative patients received by parenteral route on 24 hours a total of 2,610 calories by means of a simultaneous infusion of 1,500 ml Trivé 1000 and 1,500 ml 10% invert sugar through a central venous line. Of those 42 cases 12 had peritonitis with 7 of them an enteric fistula, 18 underwent an extensive bowel resection and 12 suffered malnutrition secondary to their primary pathology. The average duration of parenteral nutrition was 13 days and the average hospital stay 27 days. No major metabolic derangement was noted except for a temporary transient elevation of SGOT and AF. A systematic bacteriological study of the perfusion lines disclosed an associated morbidity of about 6%. We are convinced that with the used solutions the postoperative catabolism can be managed successfully and that the association of aminoacids, lipids and glucides as used by us facilitates, nursing care.