Sometimes a person cannot eat any or enough food because of
intestinal failure or surgery. The stomach or bowel may not be
working quite right, or a person may have had surgery to remove
part or all of these organs. Under those conditions, nutrition
must be supplied in a different way. Parenteral (pah REN ter ul)
nutrition is one way people receive food when they cannot eat.
It is a special liquid food mixture given into the blood with a
needle through a vein. The mixture contains all the protein,
sugars, fat, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients needed. It
is sometimes called total parenteral nutrition, TPN, or
hyperalimentation. Patients can be taught to administer
parenteral nutrition at home. Mayo's Home Parenteral Nutrition
Service consists of a physician, dietitian and pharmacist team
that provides the resources patients need to get the nutrition
they need parenterally. Enteral (EN ter al) nutrition is another
way people can receive the food they need. Also called "tube
feeding," enteral nutrition is