Parenteral nutrition service: An overview and case for it in the University of Benin teaching hospital

Abstract

Total Parenteral Nutrition has been available in developed countries for the past three decades and has proved to be very valuable as one of the most important therapeutic tools in the history of Medicine. Amongst the great advances in Medicine in the last century it is the only one that this hospital and most tertiary hospitals in Nigeria do not routinely benefit from its service to patients who need it. In this overview, the pathogenesis of malnutrition in surgical patients, body nutrients, the indications for parenteral nutrition, the nutrient solutions and composition and their administration are discussed. It is established that as the expert personnel and facilities to give total parenteral nutrition to patients are available, the service should be routinely given to patients to reduce morbidity and mortality in surgical patients with malnutrition.