Nutrition via port

Question

Dear expert team,
I am 21 years old and weigh about 38 kilogramms. Not enough! For this reason my physician wants me to agree on a PEG (percutaneous endoscopic gatrostomy). However this is not in my interest. Since September 2009 I have a port, as I need an iv-therapy more and more often; I am very content with the port. Of course I would like to do something against my underweight, as I am doing worse and worse. For example I know, that a nutrition is possible via a port, done for example in cancer patients. I talked with my physician about this. But he denied it with the argumentation of a contraindication due to the liver in CF, because of the ingredients of an additional nutrition.
Now my question: Is a nutrtion via a port possible in patients with CF? For example because of another composition of the nutrition so that it does not hurt the liver?
I thank you in advance for the effort and the answering of my question!
Yours sincerely,

Answer

Hello,
in general a nutrtion that leaves out the bowel (parenteral) via a venous line like e.g. a port is possible. For the supply of the body with fluid and calories it is good, the same supply via the bowel is however very evidently the better solution. The nutrition is as more effective, as it resembles the natural way of intake of food and a supply via PEG is generally more beneficial and even more effective for the gain of weight than the supply via a port. In addition it has to be taken into account that the time of functioning of a port can decrease via a (too) frequent use, not to mention the increasing risk of complications.
In cancer patients this is a different situation- if an intake of food via the bowel is not possible anymore, the parenteral nutrition via a port is always better - the alternative is to starve and to die of thirst. If one can use the bowel, howver, this is the better alternative.
Yours sincerely,
Prof. Dr. TOF Wagner

21.04.2010