Nutritional support in marrow graft recipients with single versus double lumen right atrial catheters

To determine the comparative efficiency of single and double lumen right atrial catheters, marrow transplant recipients were evaluated during a 26-month period retrospectively. Calories and protein infused as a percent of the amount ordered was calculated by week from initiation of total parenteral nutrition through day 28 posttransplantation. Data from 1979 reflected initial technical difficulties, showing no significant difference between groups. Patients with double lumen catheters received significantly greater (P less than 0.05) calories during the first 3 weeks after transplant in 1980 and 1981. A similar trend was seen in protein infusion. A significantly greater proportion of patients with double lumen catheters received at least 90% of the ordered total parenteral nutrition during the first 3 weeks after transplant in both years. These results suggest that the ability to infuse total parenteral nutrition in ordered amounts can be accomplished using the double lumen catheter.