Renal failure in surgical patients. Treatment with intravenous essential amino acids and hypertonic glucose.

Solutions containing balanced quantities of essential L-amino acids, hypertonic glucose, and other essential nutrients were administered by vein to ten patients who had acute or chronic renal failure associated with or resulting from catastrophic complications precluding use of the gastrointestinal tract for alimentation. Weight gain, wound healing, and positive nitrogen balance occurred uniformly during periods of total intravenous nutrition, while blood urea nitrogen remained stable or decreased and the signs and symptoms of azotemia resolved. Restoration of nutritional balance and achievement of protein synthesis is possible in patients who have renal failure and gastrointestinal dysfunction by the judicious administration of high biologic value diets exclusively by vein.