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Thorvilson, Megan

0000-0003-0351-5010

Mayo Clinic

Pediatric Palliative Care Physician, Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Nationwide Children's Hospital.

Citations 2

A Pediatric Resident Physician Coaching Program With Faculty Retreat Developed in Partnership With a Master Certified Coach
Fashina, Oluwatomini, Thorvilson, Megan J. , Mavis, Stephanie C. , Thorn, Patti M. , Pittock, Siobhán T. , Munger, Kayla, McKone, Justin , Raevsky, Emily, Johnson, Katie L. , Thorvilson, Megan , Mavis, Stephanie , Pittock, Siobhan , Munger, Kayla

MedEdPORTAL | July 31, 2026 | Volume: No volume available | Issue: No issue available | Pages: No page available

10.15766/mep_2374-8265.11624 Get It

Where comfort and nutrition meet: A case series of children with severe neurologic impairment receiving home parenteral nutrition at the end of life
Steien, Dana B., Alexander, Erin , Hager, Molissa, Armellino, Andrea, Thorvilson, Megan J. , Steien, Dana B. , Thorvilson, Megan , Armellino, A.

Nutrition in Clinical Practice | September 7, 2025 | Volume: 41 | Issue: 2 | Pages: 680-687

10.1002/ncp.70026 Get It

Abstract Home parenteral nutrition (HPN) is a life‐sustaining therapy traditionally used as a bridge to enteral autonomy or intestinal transplantation. Increasingly, it is used for intractable feeding intolerance (IFI), which can occur near the end of life (EOL) in children with severe neurological impairment (SNI). In these cases, HPN use differs from its historical role and requires tailored outpatient planning. We report a retrospective case series of four children with SNI who developed IFI and received HPN as part of their EOL care. The pediatric palliative care team (PPCT) was involved in all cases during HPN decision‐making and planning. The pediatric nutrition support team (PNST) and PPCT collaborated to provide individualized, goal‐directed care. Patients ranged from 1 to 12 years old, with HPN durations between 5 weeks and 2 years. All were enrolled in hospice while receiving HPN. Plans were made through shared decision‐making, reflecting each family's values, and included tailored approaches to laboratory monitoring, febrile episodes, line care, growth assessment, and follow‐up. HPN at EOL requires careful ethical consideration, particularly of autonomy because families often find comfort in providing nutrition. IFI is often unanticipated, and prognoses are uncertain. With the combined expertise of PNST and PPCT, HPN can be used meaningfully at EOL, supporting family values, easing suffering, and creating space for peace and connection.