Radiation Therapy Board Practice Exam

The term for nutrition that bypasses the gastrointestinal tract and introduces nutrients directly into the veins is parenteral nutrition. This method is utilized when a patient is unable to ingest food orally or has a non-functional gastrointestinal system. By delivering nutrients directly into the bloodstream, parenteral nutrition provides essential macros and micros, ensuring that the body receives the necessary caloric intake and nutritional support required for recovery or maintenance of health. Enteral nutrition, on the other hand, involves supplying nutrients directly to the gastrointestinal tract, typically through feeding tubes that access the stomach or intestines. Gastrostomy refers to a specific surgical procedure where an opening is created in the stomach for feeding, while nasogastrostomy involves placing a tube through the nose into the stomach. Both of these techniques are forms of enteral nutrition rather than parenteral, as they utilize the digestive system rather than bypassing it entirely.