Intestinal Failure: A Description of the Problem and Recent Therapeutic Advances.

Pediatric intestinal failure occurs when gut function is insufficient to meet the nutrient and hydration needs of the growing child. The commonest cause is short bowel syndrome with maldigestion and malabsorption following massive bowel loss. The remnant bowel adapts during the process of intestinal rehabilitation.

Central catheter-associated bloodstream infection reduction with ethanol lock prophylaxis in pediatric intestinal failure: broadening quality improvement initiatives from hospital to home.

Importance: Children with intestinal failure are at high risk for developing central catheter-associated bloodstream infections (CCABSIs) owing to children's chronic dependence on central venous catheters for parenteral nutrition.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of the addition of ethanol lock prophylaxis to a best-practice CCABSI prevention bundle on hospital and ambulatory CCABSI rates in children with intestinal failure.

Design, Setting, And Participants: Quality improvement and statistical process control analysis that took place at a tertiary care pediatric hospital and patient homes.