[Parenteral and enteral feeding of neurologic patients in crisis from the viewpoint of long-term intensive therapy].

32 patients in a neurological intensive-care unit with severe disturbances of conscious or impaired function of the swallowing muscles had to receive artificial nutrition on an average of 164 days. They were nourished either parenterally, with the nutrient defined diet Biosorb in combination with parenteral nutrition, or exclusively via a feeding tube. Enteral nutrition was given preference over parenteral nutrition if justified under the clinical circumstances. A multivariable study was intended to investigate to what extent the respective type of nutrition and its individual components met the actual clinical requirements during such a long period. Moreover, the study was intended to demonstrate to what degree adverse factors influenced the different nutritional regimens and necessitated--in addition to infusion programs and dietetics--supplementary steps which might also be of use under completely optimized circumstances.