Total parenteral nutrition at home: the implications for a rural practice

For various reasons we were faced with the choice of carrying out total parenteral nutrition of a patient at home, or allowing him to die untreated.

The logistic problems of organizing supplies and technical support in a rural practice 32 km (20 miles) from the nearest hospital are described, in the hope of showing that in better circumstances carrying out total parenteral nutrition at home is feasible in general practice.