Reduction of complications associated with total parenteral nutrition by introduction of a clinical monitoring team. The Total Parenteral Nutrition Committee.

The introduction of Total Parenteral Nutrition (TPN) in the treatment of malnourished patients with unusable gastrointestinal tracts has become commonplace throughout the world. However there are significant metabolic (4.2 to 7.7%) and septic (7 to 27%) complications associated with this therapy. In 1984 a TPN committee was formed at Royal Newcastle Hospital and a TPN nurse was appointed. This series documents the use of TPN at Royal Newcastle Hospital from August 1984 to July 1989. There were 251 patients who received TPN, representing 3422 days of TPN. The primary catheter sepsis rate was 10.4% at the commencement of the series and decreased appreciably to 3.2%. The formation of the TPN committee and the appointment of a TPN nurse have represented a considerable cost in time and money but this action has been justified by the drop in the sepsis rate resulting in a decrease in morbidity and mortality associated with TPN.