15 patients with a healthy metabolism, who underwent surgery because of gall stones or duodenal ulcer disease, were submitted to complete peripheral parenteral nutrition for 4 days. The group received 40 ml fluid/kg body weight/day, 1.2 g amino acids and 2.4 g carbohydrates (Sorbitol: Xylitol = 1:1)/kg body weight/day in a fixe combination. There were no disturbances in the electrolyte metabolism; the urine alpha-aminonitrogen loss was lower than 4%. The visceral proteins with a short half-life period (transferrin, C-3c-complement, C-4-complement, retinol-binding protein and prealbumin) stayed within the normal range or increased. 3 of the 15 patients developed minor phlebothrombotic complications, therefore the infusion should be changed routinely to the contralateral arm after an infusion period of 48 hours.