Abstract
A 55-year-old male with squamous cell carcinoma of the left mandible, who was treated with chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation, received enteral hyperalimentation for 83 of his 102-day hospital stay. The hospital course was complicated by fluid and electrolyte imbalance, sepsis, gastric outlet obstruction, and ileus. A modular system of individual nutrient components was used to prepare enteral formulations during 62 of the 83 days of enteral hyperalimentation. The 10 enteral prescription modifications involved both macro- and micronutrients, and could not easily have been prepared using standard enteral products. Enteral formula modifications resulted in extended use of the gastrointestinal tract for nutritional support. Continued use of the gastrointestinal tract instead of the intravenous route resulted in a net savings of $4380. The use of modular enteral hyperalimentation may be indicated when the gastrointestinal tract is functional, but when frequent formula manipulation is desired. Modular enteral hyperalimentation can be adapted easily for use by nutrition support teams in acute care settings.
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