Parenteral nutrition: new advances and observations

Purpose of review There has been a considerable amount of work in the field of parenteral nutrition over the last year. Although none of this has been truly mold-breaking, there are sufficient new directions that a review is a worthwhile exercise. Recent findings The arguments in favor of parenteral feeding in acute pancreatitis continue to become weaker. Intravenous nutrition as an alternative to major surgery in Crohn disease should be considered. A series of new, and not so new, complications is reviewed, together with a range of means by which problems may be avoided. New approaches to the avoidance or treatment of the rare case of intravenous nutrition-associated liver disease are discussed. Summary The parenteral approach remains an important method of nutritional support: recent data help to ensure its safer and more effective implementation.