title: [Parenteral periferic nutrition: non surgical indications].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Peripheral Parenteral Nutrition, defined as a mixture of micronutrients, vitamins and minerals with lower osmolarity of 800 mOsm/L, it avoids the risk of the central catheter. It has traditionally been used in postoperative patients, but really medical conditions can also benefit from it either as complementary, or as the only one source of nutrients, since a high number of patients require less caloric intake than previously believed.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Evaluation of the use of peripheral parenteral nutrition in non postoperative hospitalized patients, reasons for its prescription and duration.
  
  
  METHODS
  368 patients who required peripheral parenteral nutrition were studied by the Nutrition Support Unit for 54 months, in a Tertiary Hospital of 1,560 beds, from all, specialties excluding postoperative patients. The study include the mechanisms that led to its use in all its forms: the only one nutritional support or complementing insufficient Enteral Nutrition or Oral Diet.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Oncology and Critical Care were the most prescribed pathologies, followed by Pancreatitis, Inflammatory Bowel Disease and HIV and a miscellany of clinical pathologies. Gastrointestinal pathology (pain, diarrhea or vomiting) was the most frequent cause, both in critically ill as in non-critical patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although enteral route is preferred and raised primarily in most patients studied, there are many causes that might impair or nullify it. Peripheral parenteral nutrition is an alternative when caloric intake is impossible or insufficient or refused by the patient, as it minimizes the complications of the central catheter.
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Nutrición, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario A Coruña, A Coruña, España. Ana.Ayucar.Ruiz.de.Galarreta@sergas.es
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ayúcar Ruiz de Galarreta
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pita Gutiérrez
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mosteiro Pereira
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cordero Lorenzana
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gómez Canosa
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Seco Vilariño
mesh_terms: D003422:Critical Care; D005526:Food, Formulated; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy; D018529:Nutritional Support; D010288:Parenteral Nutrition / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D018579:Patient Selection