Long-term parenteral nutrition. I. Clinical experience in 70 patients from 1967 to 1980

Seventy patients, 37 females and 33 males, median age 46 years, have been treated with long-term parenteral nutrition for 816 patient-months, or 68 patient-years. Short-bowel syndrome was the commonest indication for parenteral nutrition (582 patient-months). Twenty-four patients were receiving home parenteral nutrition. Most had severe short-bowel syndrome following intestinal resection for Crohn's disease or mesenteric infarction. Metabolic complications included zinc deficiency syndrome in four patients before routine zinc administration and progressive halisteresis in five patients. The mortality for 26 patients with short-bowel syndrome was 23%, for 15 patients with intestinocutaneous fistulas 40%, and for 15 patients with severe emaciation for various causes 27%. Parenteral nutrition was withdrawn in 6 (23%) of the 26 patients with short-bowel syndrome, who subsequently were able to maintain body weight with oral feeding. Fifteen patients are still (February 1980) receiving home parenteral nutrition.