ABSTRACT
The prevention, prompt recognition, and successful treatment of complications should be part of good clinical nutrition practice. Although many of these complications are relatively uncommon, the variety of complications together with the widespread use of enteral and parenteral nutritional support assure that the busy practitioner must deal with some complication of therapy on a regular basis. While many are minor and easily dealt with, some complications can be life threatening and demand prompt correction. The realization that nutritional therapy may be associated with potentially fatal complications should inhibit the clinician from using this expensive therapy unless it is indicated or likely to be beneficial. Experience suggests that an active, well-trained nutritional support team decreases the incidence of complications with total parenteral nutrition (TPN) and total enteral nutrition (TEN) (1-4). This chapter will discuss the complications of TPN and TEN in the hospitalized patient.
