Navigating the ethical landscape of parenteral nutrition: Balancing care and moral principles.

Abstract

Parenteral nutrition (PN) is a life-sustaining therapy for patients unable to meet nutrition needs via enteral routes, but its use presents significant ethical complexity. This narrative review provides clinicians with a practical, principle-based framework to navigate the ethical dilemmas inherent in PN across diverse clinical contexts. Grounded in the four pillars of medical ethics-autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, and justice-the review explores decision-making challenges in vulnerable populations, long-term PN, and end-of-life care. Clinically relevant scenarios are examined, including initiation or withdrawal of PN in terminal illness, informed consent in cognitively impaired patients, and balancing parental wishes with a child's best interests in pediatric care. The ethical tension between prolonging life and enhancing quality of life is critically appraised, particularly in oncology and palliative settings. The review also addresses disparities in PN access and resource allocation, with actionable insights for clinicians practicing in low-resource settings. Key take-home strategies include using structured ethical frameworks such as the Four-Quadrant and Shared Decision-Making models, involving ethics committees in complex cases, and prioritizing transparent, compassionate communication. Clinicians are encouraged to consider both the clinical utility and psychosocial burden of PN, and to integrate multidisciplinary perspectives into care planning. Ultimately, this review underscores the need for ethically attuned, patient-centered PN decisions that align with individual goals, values, and context. It provides structured guidance to assist nutrition support teams in translating ethical principles into clinical practice, thereby ensuring that PN is administered judiciously, safely, and in accordance with the patient's best interests.