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Total parenteral nutrition (T.P.N.) takes presently an important place in the therapeutic methods. Nevertheless multiple complications, directly related to the venous route can constitute a limiting factor in the application of such procedures. Therefore complications such as sepsis and venous thrombosis must be prevented during T.P.N. Some conditions issued from our experiences and from the results in the literature can be now well defined: 1) Surgical catheterization of the vein in cases of long term T.P.N. and transcutaneously in cases of short term T.P.N. with in all cases a long subcutaneous way of the catheter. 2) Silastic catheter must be systematically used. 3) The intravenous way of the catheter must be as short as possible. 4) Nutrients must be strictly infused in the superior vena cava. 5) The utilisation of nutritive mixtures must be prefered if possible. 6) Handling of the infusion line must be avoided. Finally the management of T.P.N. in the best conditions requires a specialized staff.

Presented are results obtained with a continuous intravenous infusion of regular insulin in 13 cases of diabetic ketoacidosis. A bolus of 10 units of insulin followed by an average of 15 units delivered via an infusion pomp induce an immediate and regular decrease of blood glucose levels (1.63 +/- 0.15 g/h). A large quantity of glucose (25 g per hour) shortens duration of ketosis (7.0 +/- 1.2 h).