Abstract
Some recent studies suggest that the blanket use of parenteral nutrition may be harmful in the event of short-term starvation due to acute illness. Utilization of endogenous substrate resources which are mobilized anyway due to acute illness or operation allows the organism to survive and recover from acute damage without nutritional support.
Modern, less invasive procedures in surgery, goog preoperative nutritional status and early recovery of food intake after surgery on the one hand and the side effects and risks of artificiak nutrition on the other hand raise the question whether surgery in general still needs parenteral nutrition. Even on the basis of modern knowledge we cannot explain why, in standart administration ofparenteral nutrition, there is a higher incidence of postoperative complications.
Is parenteral nutrition directly toxic or useless, or are we just unable to avoid the side effects of improper application.