Access routes for enteral nutrition.

Abstract

Comprehensive management of patients includes a thorough evaluation of nutritional requirements. The risks and the benefits of enteral and parenteral supplementations have been heavily investigated. Recent literature supports use of the gastrointestinal tract, when functioning, as the preferred route for supplemental nutrition. There are multiple access routes available to clinicians to provide enteral nutrition, including feeding tubes, which can be placed transnasally, percutaneously, or surgically. These various techniques have individual indications, contraindications, and complications associated with the procedures. They also have varying levels of invasiveness and overall durability. We discuss the different access routes available for enteral feeding, as well as the process for selecting the most appropriate route.