[Current possibilities in artificial nutrition]

The enteral route is today more and more the preferred method of artificial nutrition. The enteral nutrition support by tube feeding should be used in appropriate patients who are or will become malnourished and in whom oral feedings are inadequate to maintain nutritional status. Furthermore, there is increasing evidence, that enteral nutrition provides significant benefits to patients who are critically ill and after major gastrointestinal surgery. The selection of a nutrition support regimen should be a logical stepwise process. The integrity and function of the GI-Tract must be assessed to determine if nutrition can be administered enterally. The length of nutrition helps to determine the type of feeding access. The use of nasoenteric tubes are sufficient in patients needing short term nutrition support. Long-term nutrition requires percutaneously or surgically placed feeding tubes. Formula selection providing adequate liver and renal function depends on the patients ability to digest and absorb intact nutrients. Enteral tube feeding is a simple, safe and well tolerated method of artificial nutrition.