“The food you eat can be either the safest and most powerful form of medicine or the slowest form of poison.”
― Ann Wigmore

Introduction to Parenteral and Enteral Feeding

 
In many countries, all over the world, there are people who are affected by diseases which can prevent a patient form eating orally or absorbing nutrients sufficiently.  Such illnesses can affect any part of the digestive system, including the mouth.

When a person is unable to eat or absorb nutrients sufficiently, then fluid and nutrients can be given through Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition which is a life saving measure in the management of  such patients.

Parenteral feeding involves administration of nutrients intravenously.  Whereas enteral feeding involves a tube that passes through the nose or mouth directly into the stomach.

Home Parenteral Nutrition

 
Home Parenteral Nutrition (HPN) can be used as the sole source of nutrition or to supplement oral feeding should the patient be able to manage a little food and drink, but not enough to ensure adequate nutrition.

Nutritionists should consider HPN for patients who are at the greatest risk of malnourishment.  This is to ensure that all the essential nutrients are present in the diet.

This site is all about Parenteral Enteral Nutrition ~ which is tube feeding to you and me

Yes, and did you know, those that need nutrition by this method are often known as tubies?

That’s cute, and I thought a tubie was something that you catch surfing!

Administration of Parenteral Nutrition

 
Administration of Parenteral or Enteral  nutrition is expensive and is often associated with a deterioration in  the disease being treated.

It is therefore imperative to involve clinical expertise in administering HPEN. A dietician, pharmacist, nurse and clinician should be involved in the process. In addition, medics should also regularly examine and test patients. This is to ensure that HPEN is providing adequate nutrition and has a positive impact on their quality of life.

Another day, another bottle or two. Liquid diets suck!

All diets suck, anything with the word diet in often involves eating something that makes you sad.

Other Information about Parenteral Nutrition

 
This site will be looking at some of the issues related to Home Parenteral Enteral Nutrition.

We will take a look at some of the issues that surround going out and about when you have Home Parenteral or Enteral feeding (HPN)  ~ the challenges and the practicalities.

Follow the link for some information on pregnancy and motherhood whilst on HPN because, yes, this happens to all age groups.

There are some practical tips too such as the MedicAlert Foundation, advice on governmental benefits and organizations that can help with Medical needs.

There is a lot of information, support and help out there people, you don’t have to suffer in silence!

About me

Hello, I’m Dr. Halls , a radiologist in Canada, and I have some experience with parenteral nutrition, from the kinds of procedures I do to insert and test these tubes. Things like percutaneous gastrostomy tubes need testing under fluoroscopic from time to time. Procedures to insert tunneled central venous catheters, or inserting Peripheral Intravenous Central Catheters (PICC lines) is something I do often.

So I get to meet people with the various medical conditions that need these. It’s people with cancer, or severe infections, or inflammatory bowel diseases. They often have in common, they were losing weight and having poor nutrition, becoming dehydrated and weak, so I suggested trying out the delicious Mediterranean eating plan. Or sometimes I’m inserting tubes for chemotherapy for breast cancer or lung cancer.

History of the Site

 
CPENA:  Canadian Parenteral  Enteral Nutrition Association

CPENA is a national, independent, non-profit organization.  This organization promotes support and dialogue among consumers of home parenteral and enteral nutrition.  In addition, help and information is also available to users  families, as well as health service professional in this field.

The association is not affiliated with any hospital or other agency, but does have links with similar organizations outside Canada particularly The Oley Foundation based in Albany, New York.

The association’s objectives are to enhance the quality of life of patients requiring home parenteral or enteral nutritional support.

CPENA facilitate contact and interaction amongst  patients and their families.  Furthermore, CPENA promotes awareness of home Parenteral Enteral Nutrition (PEN) issues to foster better understanding of individual needs.

These objectives are based on the understanding that effective support of home PEN consumers depends on the collaboration and cooperation of all members of the home PEN community – physicians, nurses, pharmacists, dieticians, home care professionals, suppliers, and public policy makers.

Activities

• The Penline newsletter:: This is the focal point of the association’s national communication network and contains articles of particular interest to the Home Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (HPEN) community.
• Information: The Association provides information for homePEN consumers, family members, and healthcare providers and maintains communication with other support groups who share common goals, both within and outside of Canada.
• Conferences: The association holds conferences within Canada that discuss and examine all aspects of Parenteral Enteral Nutrition.

Did you know that the Clear History button on a computer has saved more lives than Superman?