Direct right atrial catheterization for total parenteral nutrition.

A case report of a patient with severe nutritional deficiency and no adequate access to the central venous system for total parenteral nutrition is presented. Operative placement of a catheter directly into the right atrium allowed adequate nutritional support and led to a marked improvement in the clinical status of the patient and a gain of weight from 67 to 98 pounds. The technique of the procedure and its limited indications are discussed.