Intravenous nutrition (IVN), also known as parenteral nutrition (PN), involves the administration of nutrients, electrolytes, minerals and fluid directly into patients’ veins. It is used in patients whose gastrointestinal absorption of food and/or fluids is inadequate, unsafe or inaccessible. Infusing a mixture of nutrients and fluid, however, is not without risk. The placement of an intravenous catheter into a large central vein can cause traumatic damage, and the infusion of what is effectively an ideal bacterial culture medium can easily lead to infection, particularly catheter-related sepsis. The presence of a catheter in the vein can also cause thrombosis with the potential for dislodgement of the clot and pulmonary embolus. If.
