[Home hyperalimentation through the digestive tract]

There are few reports in the contemporary literature on the use of home hyperalimentation by the enteral route, especitially for intestinally crippled patients. The authors describe five patients who had a total of 78 months of therapy by continuous nasogastric infusion of an elemental diet at home. The majority of the patients had undergone massive bowel resection. Home intravenous hyperalimentation techniques are compared with respect to feasibility, morbidity, cost and psychologic impact for the patient. Because of the differences, the authors suggest that home intravenous hyperalimentation should be reserved for patients who have failed a trial of enteral therapy.