Enteral nutrition.

The introduction of fine-bore tubes and other equipment for tube feeding and the appearance on the market of defined formula nutritional preparations have revolutionised the technique of enteral feeding making it cheap, effective and relatively free of complications when used correctly. Although primarily a clinical exercise, it relies very much on biochemical support, particularly in difficult cases. The clinical biochemist should therefore have a general understanding of this and other aspects of clinical nutrition if he is going to provide that support appropriately.