title: Critical care nutrition: routes of feeding.
abstract: Nutrition is an integral part of the management of the critically ill patient. Nutritional support can be provided by either parenteral or enteral routes. Whenever possible, enteral nutrition is the method of choice, as it reduces complication rates and improves outcome. Potential choices for enteral feeding include nasoesophageal, esophagostomy, gastrostomy, jejunostomy, and transpyloric feeding tubes. The modes of parenteral and enteral nutrition are reviewed individually, including indications and selection of appropriate routes of feeding, methods of tube placement, and benefits and risks associated with each feeding approach.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Studies, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia 19014-6010, USA.
authors.forename: L S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Waddell
authors.forename: K E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Michel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003422:Critical Care / Q000379:methods*; D013505:Digestive System Surgical Procedures / Q000662:veterinary; D004750:Enteral Nutrition / Q000662:veterinary; D004946:Esophagostomy / Q000662:veterinary; D005248:Feeding Methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D007441:Intubation, Gastrointestinal / Q000662:veterinary; D010288:Parenteral Nutrition / Q000662:veterinary