Published in:
01-12-2019 | Bariatric Surgery | Brief Communication
Recurrent Hyperammonemia During Enteral Tube Feeding for Severe Protein Malnutrition After Bariatric Surgery
Authors:
Louise Hendrikx, Hans Brandts, Marcel van Borren, Hans de Boer
Published in:
Obesity Surgery
|
Issue 12/2019
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Abstract
A 28-year-old female was admitted 2 years after gastric bypass limb distalization because of severe weight loss, fatigue, chronic diarrhea, massive edema, and a serum albumin of 10 g/L without proteinuria. A diagnosis of severe energy and protein malnutrition was made, and enteral tube feeding was started in combination with pancreatic enzyme supplementation every 3 h. Within 24 h after the start of tube feeding, she developed severe hyperammonemia. Tube feeding was stopped immediately, and this led to a normalization of serum ammonia levels within 8 h. When tube feeding was resumed, albeit at a lower rate and with preventive measures taken, hyperammonemia occurred again. The underlying causes and treatments of hyperammonemia during tube feeding are discussed.