Aseptics/parenteral nutrition

A comprehensive concept for clinical nutrition is necessary to prevent malnutrition. Parenteral nutrition, as one of its components, should be used if oral or enteral nutrition does not fulfil the patient's needs.

This can affect premature and newborn babies as well as older patients with a wide variety of illnesses.

Indications for parenteral nutrition include, for example

Acute abdomen
Ileus, subileus
Upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage
Inflammatory bowel diseases
Post-operative short bowel syndrome (upper and lower GI tract) etc.

Depending on the composition of the nutritional solution, it is supplied via peripheral or central venous access. Adult patients can often be well supplied with industrially manufactured solutions whose contents are standardised. These bags are inexpensive, sterile over the long term, chemically stable and available quickly in urgent cases. The pharmacy can advise on the selection of the right bag and the required composition if a product change is necessary due to a supply shortage.

For premature or very sick children, these complex solutions of amino acids, carbohydrates, electrolytes, fat emulsions, trace elements and vitamins almost always have to be prepared in-house.

The in-house production of such complex and sterile mixtures involves a large number of manual steps and requires highly specialised personnel with sufficient experience in aseptic production. In addition, special clean rooms and workbenches are required to ensure the appropriate environment for the production of sterile preparations.

As a rule, several pharmaceutical employees are involved in the production of all DTI requirements in one day. The daily production volume fluctuates depending on the current number of premature babies and averages around 40 preparations per day. Nutritional solutions are also produced at weekends, allowing daily customisation to the needs of immature and premature babies.