Sidra Medicine first in region to offer at-home TPN training
The Peninsula
Doha: Sidra Medicine’s Intestinal Failure program has improved the lives of dozens of children and young people with gastrointestinal illnesses (GI) in Qatar. The program, which offers Total Parenteral Nutrition (TPN) is available in-clinic at the hospital and also includes at-home TPN care training.
TPN is a life-saving method of feeding patients by providing nutrition that bypasses the gastrointestinal tract through permanent venous access into the bloodstream. It is offered either as a short term support or as a long-term food substitute method. Fluids are given into a vein to provide most of the nutrients the body needs. TPN delivers a mixture of fluid, electrolytes, sugars, proteins, vitamins, minerals and fats into an infant's vein. Dr Khaled Abouhazima, senior attending physician at Sidra Medicine said: “There are many children and young people with intestinal failure because of congenital malabsorption issues (short bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease or cancer) or surgical causes. They either cannot or should not receive feedings or fluids by the mouth. As such, these children’s bowels cannot meet the right caloric requirements and they need to be supplemented with nutrients through Total Parenteral Nutrition methods.”More Related News