Background: Home Parenteral Nutrition is a therapeutic option to improve quality of life in chronic intestinal failure. 
Aims: To describe frequency of complications both in cancer and noncancer patients. 
Methods: This study was performed on 270 adult patients (52% with cancer, 48% without cancer) followed for a total of 371 years of treatment. Mean duration of therapy was 191±181 for cancer and 830±1168 days/patient for noncancer. The treatment was administered by a competent, dedicated provider. Patients received our prescribed "all-in-one admixtures" at their homes. 
Results: Catheter-related complications/1000-days-catheter was 1.40; mechanical complications were comparable in cancer (0.82) and noncancer (0.91) patients while a statistically significant difference was observed between cancer (0.71) and noncancer (0.46) patients for sepsis. Bacterial infections were more frequent in noncancer, mycotic infections primarily affected cancer patients. In our experience 49% of the patients were readmitted, with a low incidence rate of 0.89/1000 days-catheter. The incidence of hepatobiliary complications in our population was 65%. The degree of liver damage was related to short bowel syndrome and to length of treatment. 
Conclusions: This study indicated that cancer patients are more vulnerable to CVC-related infections during Home Parenteral Nutrition and that a safer Home Parenteral Nutrition protocol should be adopted in order to contain CVC-related complications

A postoperative complication after Altemeier operation, so far never reported, is described in a 42 years old mentally disabled patient with external full thickness rectal prolapse who usually had prolonged straining at defecation. After 6 d from perineal rectosigmoidectomy, the patient, was discharged free of complications. Four days later he was readmitted in emergency for strangulated perineal trans-anastomotic ileal hernia that occurred at home during efforts to defecate. The clinical feature required an emergency operation for repositioning the ileal loops into the abdomen, resection of the necrotic ileum, and end colostomy. The outcome of the second operation was free of complication and the patient was discharged on the 6(th) postoperative day. In conclusion, after Altemeier operation prolonged straining at defecation should be carefully avoided.