Long term total parenteral nutrition through peripheral veins.

Most complications of total parenteral nutrition are directly related to the use of hypertonic glucose and central venous catheters. We describe a system in which hypertonic glucose is omitted from the total parenteral nutrition regimen and is replaced by Intralipid as the main source of calories. Protein hydrolysate and lipid solutions are infused simultaneously via peripheral veins. This method proved to be simple and efficient with no deleterious effects in 22 patients who were treated for periods of three to 14 weeks.