{At home}  {Indications}  {The catheter}  {Dangers}

At home parenteral nutrition patient and their responsibilities

A at home parenteral nutrition patient must comply with certain regulations on which the patient’s parenteral nutrition and well being depends on.  The patient goes through special schooling at the hospital that will teach the patient to prepare the nutritional mixture by them selves.

Before connecting the feeding bag, the bottom end of the catheter must be soaked in 70% rubbing alcohol for 30 seconds. Next the catheter cap must be unscrewed and hook it up to the inlet.  The speed of substance speed will be about 18-20 hours.  The bag with the mixture contains from 1,500 to 3,000 ml.

The disconnecting of the feeding bag is as follows: after soaking the bottom of the catheter in 70% rubbing alcohol for 30 seconds, catheter needs to be rinsed out with Physiological saline, and Heparin 0.3ml/5ml Physiological saline.  Patient also has to change the bandage in the area of the catheter insertion.  This should be done either daily or after every bath/shower.  If the patient is using bandage made out of sterilized material or Tegadrem the change of the bandage can take place every 3 days.  The area of catheter insertion must be disinfected with Polyvidonum Iodinatum. NEVER USE IODINE!     

Patient should immediately come to the hospital if:

·        in the area of catheter insertion one can see redness or bruise

·        patient is experiencing fever, shivering when the catheter is being inserted or during the cleaning of the catheter

·        if the catheter brakes or if it gets clogged up.

Although this is a long lasting procedure that helps to keep a person alive, one can leave fairly normally during the diagnosis.  Everything depends on the severity of the ailment , however it mostly depends on one’s frame of mind and optimism. Parenteral nutrition does not interfere with how long one will live, sometimes it just the opposite when the patient gets more strength than ever to do thing one would never imagine. Patients can study, work, drive a vehicle, travel…one can still seek their goals

{At home}  {Indications}  {The catheter}  {Dangers}