intravenous nutrition solutions have been well tolerated when the osmolality is less than 983 mmol/l but the daily risk of extravasation is 0-54 for "butterfly" needles and ofphlebitis 0 25 for short plastic catheters.' The daily risk of phlebitis with our fine silicone catheters was 0-016, with a median period of function of nine days. One patient with pancreatic abscess received 60 days of complete intravenous nutrition through a single catheter. There were no bacteraemic episodes related to the catheter, while the expected rate with central intravenous nutrition is 4%.Intravenous nutrition solutions providing 70% of non-protein calories as lipid are efficacious,,' but their use has been limited because they are unsupported by an adequate delivery system. Their use with a fine silicone catheter may avoid the need for central vein cannulation in 89% of inpatients requiring intravenous nutrition.

No abstract