Gastroenterology Grand Rounds

BCM Gastroenterology Grand Rounds - Take Home Lessons

The main lessons to take home concerning this case are:

1. Severe protein-calorie malnutrition can result from advanced chronic pancreatitis, particularly during periods of metabolic stress.

2. In such cases, the specific form of enteral nutrition may not be as important as the adequacy of protein-calorie supplementation.

3. The prevention of overfeeding is as important as that of underfeeding in patients with severe malnutrition; the refeeding syndrome can occur from massive shifts in electrolytes and fluids.