Complete parenteral nutrition in the surgery of the newborn infant

A regimen of complete parenteral nutrition (CPN), including glucose, amino acids, fat, water- and fat-soluble vitamins and minerals, was used in 10 newborn infants operated on for gastrointestinal malformations. By giving more than 90 kcal/kg/day (376 kJ) and approximately 2.1 g amino acids/kg/day, normal weight gain and nitrogen retention were obtained. 3-Methylhistidine excretion was measured in 4 infants and a correlation to the nitrogen retention was found. Normal fat clearance rates, triglyceride and cholesterol concentrations in serum were measured in all infants except in one pre-term. One preterm infant had very low levels of zinc in serum and red cells and had clinical signs of zinc deficiency. The regimen seemed to suit full-term infants very well but it is possible that even more energy should be supplied to pre-term infants and perhaps also different amounts of trace elements.