American Gastroenterological Association Medical Position Statement: guidelines for the use of enteral nutrition.

T he need to avoid prolonged starvation in patients is well recognized. More recently, it has been realized that without intraluminal fuels, intestinal integrity may deteriorate and allow translocation of gut bacteria. One means to combat nutrient deprivation and simultaneously to keep the local defense barrier of the intestine intact is tube feeding, i.e., enteral nutrition. This technique has been practiced in varying forms for hundreds of years. Today, technical innovations have made it a more acceptable procedure to patients and a less costly alternative to parenteral nutrition. It is important for physicians to understand the indications for enteral nutrition, its contraindications, its risks, sites for nutrient delivery, and alternative tube placement techniques. This document provides gastroenterologists with recommendations for providing safe and effective enteral nutrition to adult patients. It is based on the American Gastroenterological Association Technical Review on Tube Feeding for Enteral Nutrition, ~ which should be consulted for additional information. Indications for Tube Feeding