Total parenteral alimentation in childhood general considerations.

The paper presents a discussion of the definition, the indications and some of the difficulties and complications of total long-term parenteral alimentation in infants and children. The problems of protein quality, the inadequacy of the E/T ratio, the quantities and quality of carbohydrates and the metabolic complications due to inappropriate electrolyte and mineral salts composition are reviewed. It is pointed out that the optimal amounts of some of the components used are still under investigation, that there seems to be no imperative reason not to use glucose as the sole carbohydrate in this age group and that most of the possible long-term sequelae and complications of total long-term parenteral alimentation will have to be looked for by prospective studies of the children treated.