Total parenteral nutrition as primary therapy for inflammatory disease of the bowel.

Of the series of 21 patients with Crohn's disease who were treated with TPN as primary therapy, there were only four (19 per cent) who did not eventually need surgical intervention. The mean follow-up period for this group of patients was 27.25 months. The remaining 14 patients were operated on an average of 9.9 months after their course of TPN. Of the five patients with mucosal ulcerative colitis who were treated with primary TPN, three are now doing well in response to medical therapy after a mean follow-up period of 27.3 months.