The elemental diet.

The elemental diet is a precisely formulated, predigested liquid diet capable of providing adequate nutrition for growth, development and tissue repletion in normal and debiliatated patients. It can be used as the sole means of nutritional support for a variety of gastrointestinal problems provided that there is an adequate length of small intestine with functioning mucosa. The elemental diet also can be used to supplement either intravenous or other enteral feedings to prevent a chronic hypocaloric state. Although safer and less complicated to administer than its intravenous counterpart, there are, nonetheless, certain important policies which must be rigidly observed to assure successful treatment and to prevent complications. Similar to intravenous hyperalimentation, administration is best carried out under the auspices of experienced and interested personnel who have a specific interest in surgical nutrition.