Eating difficulties in the pediatric small bowel recipient: the role of the nutritional management team.

I NTESTINAL transplantation has become a feasible option for total parenteral nutrition (TPN)-dependent patients with short gut syndrome. Crucial to the long-term success of small intestine transplantation is the recipient's ability to maintain an adequate oral intake. It was of particular concern that some pediatric patients would not eat postoperatively and therefore required enteral feeds for total nutritional support. The objectives of this study were to identify factors that influence postoperative eating difficulties in pediatric intestine transplant recipients and the development of therapeutic approaches to improve oral nutrition.