When Your Child Needs TPN (Total Parenteral Nutrition)

TPN (total parenteral nutrition) is a way for your child to get proper nutrition. This is done through a small, soft tube called a catheter. The catheter is inserted into a vein. This allows liquid nutrition to be put into your child’s blood vessels.

Why Might TPN Be Needed?

TPN is used when your child’s digestive tract can’t digest food. Or, TPN is used when your child can’t eat enough food to meet his or her nutritional needs. The catheter is put into the vein in the hospital. Then, you can give TPN to your child at home. A home care nurse can teach you how. You’ll also learn how to clean and care for the catheter site.

Central and PICC Lines

There are two main types of TPN lines used to give nutrition through the catheter:

Central line: This kind of line is often used for infants and very young children. The catheter is placed into a vein in the neck or chest. This allows nutrients to be delivered close to the large blood vessels of the heart. The catheter has ports (openings) to give nutrition and medications as needed.		Peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) line: This type of line is often placed into a vein in your child’s arm. The line is gently threaded through the vein up to the heart.
A central line is inserted into a vein in your child’s neck or chest and threaded close to the heart.		A PICC line is inserted into a vein in your child’s arm and threaded up close to the heart.