Hepatic Failure
Nutritional support is highly desirable for many surgical patients
with cirrhosis, in the perioperative management of bleeding esophageal varices, and
in post-shunt encephalopathy. Intravenous solutions for patients with liver failure
(see Chapter 55
and Chapter
56
) should fulfill the following requisites[207]
:
- Provide adequate amounts of calories and nitrogen for protein synthesis.
- Neither produce nor aggravate plasma amino acid imbalance.
- Do not produce electrolyte or acid/base imbalance.
- Neither produce nor aggravate neurologic or encephalopathic symptoms.
- Provide sufficient calories in a volume tolerated by patients with hepatic
failure.
