[Medical Q&A] How is home parenteral nutrition solution, the "water of life", stored and transported?

Planner: Chinese Medical Association

Reviewer: Yu Jianchun, Chief Physician and Professor of Peking Union Medical College Hospital

Home parenteral nutrition solution is an important source of life support for many patients with gastrointestinal failure or severe disorders, and correct storage and delivery are crucial.

In general, the safe treatment mode of intravenous infusion of one bag per day is adopted for parenteral nutrition support at home. The nutrient solution prepared in the special preparation room will have a clear label indicating the preparation date, expiration date, patient name, nutrient solution ingredients, instructions for use, precautions, etc. For the sake of hygiene and liquid stability, after the nutrient solution is packed, the transportation time should be shortened as much as possible to ensure that the nutrient solution is delivered to the patient's home in the shortest time. You can choose whether to use the cold chain transportation method according to the road conditions. If refrigerated trucks, refrigerated boxes, insulated boxes, etc. are used for transportation, the standardized storage conditions and transportation specifications of cold chain drugs must be observed. Before use, the insulated box should be placed with cold chain materials (such as ice bags, etc.) that have been fully cooled, and the box temperature should reach 2-8 ℃ before it can be packed. The on-board refrigerated box must be pre-cooled before use and can only be used after reaching the specified temperature. Before loading the refrigerated truck, ensure that the vehicle can start and run normally, and pre-cool it to the specified temperature before loading. Note that the home parenteral nutrition solution must not directly contact ice bags and other refrigerants to avoid affecting the quality of the nutrient solution. If the nutrient solution delivered to the home cannot be infused in time, it must be kept in a refrigerator away from light (temperature 2-8°C), taken out before use, placed at room temperature for 0.5-1 hour, and then infused at room temperature.