This invention is in the field of containers and methods for delivering liquid nutrients to a feeding tube such as an enteral feed tube using gravity to regulate the pressure and flow of the liquid nutrients.
When a person is unable to eat normally, it is necessary to provide other ways to provide nutrition. One treatment, among medical professionals is via enteral feeding tubes. A variety of different approaches have been developed. A few examples include percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG), Gastrostomy tubes (G-Tube), and nasogastric tubes (NG-Tube). Many of these methods start out or end up in different places in the patient's digestive tract; however almost all of them are compatible to attach to catheter tipped syringes or equivalents, which deliver the food supply.
A variety of different methods have been developed to deliver food to these tubes. These methods are generally grouped into two groups: Gravity feeding and Mechanical pump. Another method is commonly called a Murphy drip. In this method, a mechanical pump is used to deliver fluid food to an open, vented container, which is typically a 50 cc syringe. The fluid then flows by gravity at a controlled rate into the stomach.
A variety of methods are used to deliver food to a feeding tube via gravity. One method is to use the barrel of a catheter tipped 50 cc syringe. The tip of the syringe barrel is connected to the feeding tube and food is poured into the opening that would normally fit the plunger. In the prior art, a syringe barrel has been connected to a fixture by elastic bands such that fluid nutrient delivered to the barrel is allowed to flow via gravity from the syringe barrel into a feeding tube connected to the barrel.
This method has several problems. For example, it is prone to spilling, overflows and blockages. These same troubles exist if the syringe is fed from a mechanical pump in the Murphy drip configuration.
Another method is to use a hanging bag, which is either filled or pre-filled with food. The bag is not prone to spilling or overflows; however, this method has its own problems. For example, the bags are cumbersome to hold; they usually require an I.V. pole or other hanging apparatus for their use. They are also difficult to clean well, and usually they are only used once or for just a few feedings before being discarded. The bags tend to be expensive over time.
There is therefore a need for an improved method and apparatus to dispense food via gravity to a feeding tube, which is not prone to spilling, blockages or overflows, yet is convenient to use and cost effective. There is also a need for an apparatus, which is aesthetic and not awkward especially when a person is being fed in public.
The present invention relates to enteral feeding devices, including a system for delivering liquid nutrients to an enteral feeding tube, comprising: (a) a container, having first, second and third openings; and (b) a tip configured to be coupled to the container, the tip having an opening in fluid communication with the first opening of the container. The second opening of the container is configured such that nutrient can be delivered to the second opening and the third opening is configured to receive nutrient or to allow gas expelled from the patient (e.g., through burping) to flow there through.
An example of an enteral feeding device of the present invention is an enteral feeding device that includes (i) an open-ended, generally cylindrical plastic container; and (ii) a cap having a hollow, tapered and stepped or barbed tip suitable for connecting to a feeding tube, such as an enteral feeding tube. The tip has an aperture which is designed with a gently sloped tapered tip so as to not be prone to blockages. A threaded interior cap portion holds the tapered tip on the end of the container. The device further includes a disk shaped gasket for sealing the cap to the container. The container has a medicine port, a feeding port, and at least one flexible plastic hanging ring suitable for hanging the device from an I.V. pole, a stand or similar apparatus.
Benefits of the invention include the following aspects. First, the container virtually eliminates spills or overflows. The entire volume of food is contained in the container. Furthermore, venting provided by opening either the medicine port and/or the feeding port allows food to flow into or out of the container, and prevents (1) a vacuum from forming within the reservoir; and (2) pressure buildup within the reservoir due to food or gas (e.g., expelled by burping) being expelled back into the container. In addition, raising or lowering the container conveniently controls the feeding rate.
Moreover, the apparatus is not prone to blockages. The design of the openings and the tip in general are less likely to clog than a syringe body would be. If blockages do occur, the additional fluid capacity of the container reservoir can make it easier to clear by closing the vents and lightly shaking the bottle. An alternate method of clearing blockages would be to close the feeding port, and eject some air into the medicine port using a small oral syringe. The slight pressurization of the container would clear the blockage.
Another advantage is the opportunity for convenient feedings. The container accepts enough food for a full feeding. Only one hand is needed to hold the bottle. If an infant is being fed, it is easier to hold the baby in a natural feeding position.
In addition, since the apparatus can be similar in appearance to a common infant feeding bottle, it is much less awkward to feed a baby in pubic. The more natural feeding position and the fact that the container can be held near the baby's mouth are additional factors in relieving the awkwardness that can accompany an enteral feeding of an infant.
The device is also convenient and effective for enteral feeding adults of all ages. The device is compatible for use with an I.V. rack and an external mechanical pump. This configuration is shown herein. This configuration is beneficial for people who are not easily able to tolerate being hooked up directly to a mechanical pump. The venting prevents pressure build up and the container provides a place for the food to accumulate, thus allowing such a person to more easily control the rate of food intake. The vent(s) also allow the gas leaving the stomach of the patient to escape.
These and other objects and features of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of the invention as set forth hereinafter.
To further clarify the above and other advantages and features of the present invention, a more particular description of the invention will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof which are illustrated in the appended drawings. It is appreciated that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope. The invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings in which:
As shown in
Container 12 is configured to be coupled in fluid communication with a feeding tube (see
With continued reference to
It is often beneficial to have a better connection to the feeding tube. If the tube becomes separated from a feeding source during feeding, food and perhaps medicine will be lost. In one embodiment, the connection is not designed to be permanent, however, as it can be useful to be able to separate the tip from the feeding tube for cleaning purposes. Thus a stepped or barbed tip such as tip 15 is a highly useful development.
The aperture 20 at the small end of the tip 15 is in one embodiment, wider than the typical tip of a catheter tipped 50 cc syringe and narrow enough to still allow the outer shell to have a convenient fitting into an enteral tube. In one embodiment, the internal surfaces are smooth, and generously tapered so as to be less prone to blockages.
Cap 14 is selectively, threadedly coupled to container 12. Alternatively, however, a cap of the present invention having a hollow delivery tip can be integrally coupled to a hollow container to form a bottle of the present invention.
The vented, receiving end of system 10, through which nutrient can be received during use, is further illustrated in
Port bodies 34, 36 define openings 31, 33 therethrough, said openings enabling fluid nutrient and/or medicament to be delivered to container 12 and/or provide one or more openings for expelled gas from burping or other functions to be dispelled therethrough and in order to prevent a vacuum from occurring within container 12.
As illustrated in
With continued reference to
A hanging loop 54 (e.g., for hanging on an I.V. pole) is flexibly coupled to a receiving end surface 56 of container body 22 so as to be moveable with respect to receiving end surface 56. Receiving end surface 56 of container body 22 has a first raised protrusion region 58 having raised portions 58A, 58B and a second raised protrusion region 60 having raised portions 60A, 60B adjacent which loop 54 is conveniently placed when not in use. Moveable loop 54 can be selectively moved between region 58 and 60 so as to be placed in a storage position adjacent region 58 or 60.
Extending about each of the raised regions 58, 60 is a respective groove 63, 62 (
Turning now to
The hanging loop(s) and ports are generally designed such that they can be tucked inside body 22 of container 12. This will allow the container 12 to be rested on a level surface without tipping over, when desired, but when the hanging loop(s) is opened, container 12 can be securely hung from an I.V. pole or similar device.
As reflected in
With reference now to
With continued reference to FIGS. 2 and 5-6, as well as the additional figures herein, the location of the openings 31, 33 is synchronized with the location of loop 54 such that the base 53 of loop 54 is connected to connector body 22 between the second and third openings 31, 33 and such that when the upper portion 55 of loop is folded over selected protuberances (58A-B or 60A-B), the upper portion 55 of loop folds over one or the other opening 31, 33, such that each opening 31, 33 can be conveniently accessed even when the loop is in the storage position.
As further shown, the opening 31, 33 of each respective port 30, 32 is located between first and second respective protuberances 58a, 58b or 60a, 60b such that the hanging loop 54 can be folded over the protuberances while still allowing accessibility to the port holes. Thus, the second and third openings 31, 33 are mounted at polar opposite sides of the receiving end surface of container 12 such that the container 12 can be placed on a side without the openings being adjacent to the support surface such that liquid will not spill out of the second and third openings. This dynamic is illustrated in
As further shown in
In one embodiment, the opening of one port is larger than the opening of another port. This may help to distinguish which tube should be placed in a certain location or to be compatible with different sized delivery devices, for example. For example, opening 33 may be connected to a feeding pump via tube 84 while opening 31 may be connected to a syringe 86 or other delivery device for delivering fluid such as a medicine to system 10. Optionally one or more ports can remain open without a delivery device connected thereto such that a vacuum will not form within container 10 and to provide venting during use. It is beneficial to hang container 12 for longer term feedings or feedings set up in the Murphy drip configuration shown in
Alternative nutrient delivery bottles 10a and 10b are shown in
With respect to
Thus, tip 92 may be a rigid, hollow tip for connecting to a feeding tube while tip 90 is a flexible tip having a hole 91 therein for reception within the mouth of an infant for sucking purposes.
The alternate embodiment shown in
A variety of different materials can be used to make the system 10. For example, in one embodiment, container 12 comprises polypropylene and gasket 16 comprises of an elastomeric seal comprising, for example, nylon or silicone. Ports 30, 32 may comprise a snap-in mounting port that comprises nylon, silicone, or some other sealable material, for example, or may be integral with container 12. In one embodiment, the larger port is designed to fit a tube for a feeding pump while the smaller port is for a syringe and for preventing a vacuum from occurring.
In addition to acting as a source of nutrients, the system 10 of the present invention also acts as an exit container, providing a receptacle for vented (e.g., burped) food or gas. Thus, use of the system 10 provides a method of receiving vented material from a stomach, for example. System 10 is thus particularly useful because of the use of second and third openings 30, 32, one of which can act to supply nutrients while the other acts as a vent.
The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.
This non-provisional patent application claims priority to and the benefit of a provisional patent application entitled, “BOTTLE FOR DELIVERING NUTRIENTS TO AN ENTERAL FEEDING TUBE,” application Ser. No. 60/780,662 filed Mar. 9, 2006 to William Hendricks, which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20080103475 A1 | May 2008 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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60780662 | Mar 2006 | US |