Continuous nasogastric drip elemental feeding. Alternative for prolonged parenteral nutrition in severe prolonged diarrhea.

Eighteen infants with severe prolonged diarrhea were fed successfully by continuous drip enteral feedings with an elemental diet. The mean weight gain was 6.4 +/- 0.7 g/kg/day, using a solution containing up to 87 kcal/dL at volumes up to 260 mL/kg/day. No cardiovascular or metabolic abnormalities occurred. Advantages of the continuous drip regimen were demonstrated by an adaptation phase with a plateau or even a decline in body weight in 12 patients, with weaning from continuous periodic feedings without changing the total caloric or volume intake. Continuous drip feeding provides an alternative for total parenteral nutrition in patients with severe prolonged diarrhea and intolerance to even an elemental diet given as periodic feedings.