What types of medical conditions require intravenous food drips?

Intravenous (IV) food drips, also known as parenteral nutrition (PN), are a way of providing nutrition to people who are unable to eat or digest food normally.

There are many conditions that can require IV food drips. Some of the most common include:

1. Short bowel syndrome

* This occurs when a person has had much of their small intestine removed, which interferes with their ability to absorb nutrients from food.

2. Crohn's disease

* This is a chronic inflammatory disease of the digestive tract that can also interfere with nutrient absorption.

3. Ulcerative colitis

* This is another chronic inflammatory disease of the digestive tract that can cause severe diarrhoea and weight loss.

4. Pancreatitis

* This is an inflammation of the pancreas, which can interfere with the production of enzymes that help digest food.

5. Cancer

* Cancer can affect the digestive tract and make it difficult or impossible to eat or digest food.

Gastrointestinal fistula: This is an abnormal connection between the gastrointestinal tract and another part of the body, which can interfere with digestion and absorption.

6. Burns

* Severe burns can cause a person to lose large amounts of fluid and nutrition.

7. Multiple organ failure

* This is a condition in which several organs stop working at the same time, which can interfere with the body's ability to absorb and use nutrients.

IV food drips are a vital treatment for people who are unable to eat or digest food normally.