Enterale

Enterale, in medical usage, is the term used in several languages (such as Italian) to describe things relating to the intestine. In English, the corresponding term is enteral, and it is most commonly applied to nutrition and drug administration that use the gastrointestinal tract.

Enteral nutrition delivers nutrients through the GI tract and includes both ordinary oral intake and tube feeding that reaches the stomach or small intestine when swallowing is impaired but gut function remains intact. Common routes include oral feeding, nasogastric or orogastric tubes for short-term use, and gastrostomy or jejunostomy tubes for longer-term support. Formulations range from polymeric formulas with intact nutrients to elemental formulas with predigested nutrients, often with modular components to adjust energy, protein, and micronutrients. Specialized formulas serve conditions such as diabetes, renal disease, hepatic disease, or pulmonary failure.

Indications include insufficient oral intake due to neurologic or swallowing disorders, critical illness, postoperative recovery, or malnutrition. Contraindications include a nonfunctional GI tract, complete intestinal obstruction, severe GI bleeding, or inability to safely place or maintain enteral access.

Administration can be bolus, intermittent, or continuous. Verification of tube placement and ongoing assessment of tolerance are standard, with attention to aspiration risk and potential tube complications. Common adverse effects include aspiration pneumonia, tube dislodgement or blockage, diarrhea, constipation, and electrolyte disturbances; refeeding syndrome may occur in severely malnourished patients.

Compared with parenteral nutrition, enteral feeding is generally safer, more cost-effective, and helps preserve gut integrity and immune function when the GI tract is usable.