Home parenteral nutrition and the family.

When a patient begins home parenteral nutrition (HPN), everyone in the patient's family is affected. In the early stages, the predominant issues are unfamiliarity with the HPN equipment and fear of acute complications. Later, adjustments become necessary in routine family activities such as eating, traveling, and recreation. The indwelling catheter used for parenteral feeding is a source of body-image distortion and anxiety for the patient, his or her sexual partner, and family members in general. The role of the consultation-liaison psychiatrist in the multidisciplinary home hyperalimentation team is described.