Catheter-related morbidity in patients on home parenteral nutrition: implications for small bowel transplantation.

Until recently, Home Parenteral Nutrition (HPN) has been the only real option for patients with intestinal failure. Small bowel transplantation (SBT) is advancing rapidly, however, and may soon provide an alternative for these patients. One of the arguments in favour of SBT is the alleged morbidity of prolonged parenteral nutrition. We have assessed the catheter-related morbidity in a large cohort of patients on HPN. A total of 88 central venous catheters were required in 50 patients. The main complications were sepsis (24 episodes) and occlusion (18 episodes). The overall incidence of catheter-related morbidity was one episode per 46 patient-months of HPN.