TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates generally to feeding tubes, and more particularly, to low-profile, gastro-jejunal feeding tubes.
BACKGROUND
Feeding devices are used to provide food or medication to patients who cannot ingest these substances in a normal manner. While the feeding device needs to be equipped with a variety of features, such as a plurality of passages for providing a number of different substances, the multiple features can increase the size or volume of the feeding tube and may cause discomfort to the patient wearing it. Thus, there is a need for a feeding device that is small in size and in which a plurality of features are integrated into a single device.
SUMMARY
In one example aspect, a gastro-jejunal (G-J) feeding device includes a gastro-jejunal body and an integral feeding tube. The gastro-jejunal body includes a top portion, a bottom portion and a balloon port. The bottom portion is configured to abut a patient's skin. The top portion of the G-J body is provided with a gastric port leading to a gastric channel and a jejunal port leading to a jejunal channel. The integral feeding tube includes a proximal end and a distal end. The proximal end is operatively connected to the bottom portion of the gastro-jejunal body. The integral feeding tube further includes a gastric lumen, a jejunal lumen and a balloon lumen. The gastric lumen is configured to be in fluid communication with the gastric channel and extends from the proximal end to an intermediate portion of the integral feeding tube. The jejunal lumen is configured to be in fluid communication with the jejunal channel and extends from the proximal end to the distal end. The balloon lumen is configured to be in fluid communication with the balloon port.
In another example aspect, a feeding tube for insertion into a stoma includes a tubular portion, a proximal end, a distal end and a capsule. The proximal end is configured to be located outside of a patient's body. The distal end is configured to be inserted into a patient's body and has a deformable portion with a default shape having a width larger than a diameter of the tubular portion. The capsule is configured to be placed on the distal end so as to enclose and deform the deformable portion. The capsule is configured to dissolve upon contact with bodily fluid. The deformable portion is configured to return to the default shape upon dissolution of the capsule.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
These and other aspects are better understood when the following detailed description is read with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is an exploded view of an example embodiment of a gastro-jejunal (G-J) device;
FIG. 2 is a close-up view of the G-J device near a proximal end of a feeding tube;
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional, close-up view of the feeding tube in an isolated state cut in a radial direction near the proximal end;
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional, close-up view of the feeding tube in an isolated state cut in an axial direction;
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional, close-up view of the feeding tube in an isolated state cut in a radial direction near the distal end;
FIG. 6 is a close-up view of the G-J device with a capsule placed on the distal end of the feeding tube;
FIG. 7 is a close-up view of the G-J device with a capsule removed from the distal end of the feeding tube with a first embodiment of a deformable portion; and
FIG. 8 is a close-up view of the distal end of the feeding tube with a second embodiment of the deformable portion in a default shape.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Examples will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings in which example embodiments are shown. Whenever possible, the same reference numerals are used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts. However, aspects may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein.
Referring now to FIG. 1, an example embodiment of a low-profile, gastro-jejunal (G-J) feeding device 10 is shown. The G-J feeding device 10 provides passageways to the stomach and the jejunum and allows for food or medicine to be supplied in fluid form for ingestion. The device 10 may also allow for removal of matter from the stomach or the jejunum by way of suction where, for example, the function of the digestive organ is impaired and the patient experiences gastric reflux, vomiting or the like.
As shown in FIG. 1, the G-J feeding device 10 may include primarily a G-J body 12, a balloon 14, a feeding tube 16 and a capsule 18. The G-J body 12 may be shaped to have a low profile such that the G-J body 12 forms only a minor projection on the patient's skin. Also, the G-J body 12 may be formed of a soft, flexible material such as silicone and may include a variety of features that are integral with the G-J body 12. The G-J body 12 provides a plurality of ports in which external tubes can be inserted in order to supply fluids from external sources such as containers (not shown) to the G-J body 12 and thus the feeding tube 16.
As shown in FIG. 1, the present embodiment of the G-J body 12 includes a top portion 20 that is configured to face away from the patient's skin and a bottom portion 22 that is configured to abut the patient's skin. The bottom portion 22 includes an outlet 24 that is joined with the feeding tube 16 and may be at least partially inserted into the patient's skin. The G-J body 12 also includes a gastric port 26, a jejunal port 28, and a balloon port 30 which are configured to be in communication with the stomach, the jejunum and the balloon respectively. The G-J body 12 may be configured with various types of notations to distinguish among the ports. While the ports 26, 28 may be provided on a variety of areas on the G-J body 12, the ports 26, 28 are provided on the top portion 20 in this embodiment for ease of access. Thus, once the G-J body 12 is placed on the patient's skin, the gastric port 26 and the jejunal port 28 are oriented away from the patient's skin while the balloon port 30 is oriented laterally about the G-J body 12. The gastric port 26 and jejunal port 28 provide channels that converge at the outlet 24 of the bottom portion 22. The G-J body 12 may also include flaps 32 with plugs 33 for closing the ports 26, 28 when the ports 26, 28 are not in use. In this embodiment, the flaps 32 extend laterally and are configured to be integral parts of the G-J body 12. Moreover, while the flaps 32 are provided only for the gastric port 26 and the jejunal port 28 in this embodiment, a flap may also be provided for the balloon port 30. Moreover, as shown in FIG. 1, the present embodiment of the G-J body 12 is substantially symmetrical in shape and the plane of symmetry passes between the gastric port 26 and the jejunal port 28 through a center of the G-J body 12. Thus, the ports 26, 28 and the flaps 32 substantially mirror one another about the plane of symmetry. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the axis through the gastric port 26 and the axis through the jejunal port 28 are oriented so as to intersect near the outlet 24. Such a configuration provides a short path for the fluids to travel from the ports 26, 28 to the outlet 24 while at the same time reducing a volume of the G-J body 12. For example, a gastric channel 27 originating from the gastric port 26 and a jejunal channel 29 originating from the jejunal port 28 may be substantially straight from the ports 26, 28 to the outlet 24 such that fluids travel the shortest distance therebetween. The G-J body 12 may also be configured with a balloon channel (not shown) originating from the balloon port 30 and routed to the outlet 24.
The outlet 24 of the G-J body 12 includes three channels originating from the gastric port 26, the jejunal port 28 and the balloon port 30. The outlet 24 of the G-J body 12 can be joined with the feeding tube 16 through various means known in the art such as gluing or insert molding.
The ports 26, 28 and 30 can be provided with a valve mechanism that controls transmission of fluid from an external source when external tubes (not shown) are inserted into the ports 26, 28 and 30 while preventing backflow of the fluid out of the ports 26, 28 and 30 when the ports 26, 28 and 30 are not in use. For example, each of the gastric and jejunal ports 26, 28 may include a duckbill valve 34 for controlling flow and an interlock 36 for securing an inserted external tube. The balloon port 30 may include a balloon fill valve 38 as shown in FIG. 1. The G-J body 12 may be configured so that, other than the valves and the interlocks, its features are integrally formed on the G-J body, for example, by molding.
Near the bottom portion 22, the G-J body 12 may include stabilizing features 41 that are configured to contact with the patient's skin. The stabilizing features 41 may be feet-like supporting the G-J body 12 and may also reduce the rocking of the G-J body 12 after the G-J body 12 and the feeding accessories are attached to the patient's body. This can reduce or prevent stoma irritation and potential erosion into the stoma site.
As shown in FIGS. 3-5, the feeding tube 16 includes a tubular portion 16a, a proximal end 16b and a distal end 16c. The feeding tube 16 is made of durable and flexible material resistant to various types of repeated bending, such as silicone, allowing the feeding tube 16 to assume various positions inside the patient's stomach and jejunum. As fluids are supplied to the stomach and the jejunum, the distal end 16c is located downstream relative to the proximal end 16b. On a portion of the feeding tube 16 beginning at the proximal end 16b and extending to an intermediate portion 16d thereof, the feeding tube 16 includes a gastric lumen 40, a jejunal lumen 42 and a balloon lumen 44 which are in fluid communication from the channels originating from the gastric port 26, the jejunal port 28 and the balloon port 30 once the outlet 24 is joined with the feeding tube 16. The feeding tube 16 may be formed such that the gastric lumen 40, the jejunal lumen 42 and the balloon lumen 44 are provided integrally on the feeding tube 16. While the feeding tube 16 may be embodied in a variety of French sizes, the feeding tube 16 has a 14 French size in this embodiment.
As shown as a cross-section in FIG. 4, the feeding tube 16 includes a separating wall 46 that divides a passageway of the feeding tube 16 and extends from the proximal end 16b to the intermediate portion 16d of feeding tube 16 thereby defining the gastric lumen 40 and the jejunal lumen 42. The separating wall 46 may divide the cross-sectional area of the passageway of the feeding tube 16 substantially in half and the balloon lumen 44 may be part of one of the halved cross-sectional areas. Such a configuration of the lumens 40, 42 and 44 may be formed using an extrusion process.
The gastric lumen 40 is closed off at the intermediate portion 16d of the feeding tube 16 so that the gastric lumen 40 is not in fluid communication with the jejunal lumen 42. This may be done by using an adhesive 64 to backfill the end of the gastric lumen 40 at the intermediate portion 16d, for example, as shown in FIG. 4. Thus, the gastric lumen 40 extends from the proximal end 16b to the intermediate portion 16d of the feeding tube 16. The jejunal lumen 42 extends from the proximal end 16b to the distal end 16c and its cross-sectional area is larger between the intermediate portion 16d and the distal end 16c than between the proximal end 16b and the intermediate portion 16d. The cross-sectional area of the jejunal lumen 42 between the intermediate portion 16d and the distal end 16c is thus larger than the sum of the cross-sectional area of the gastric lumen 40 and the cross-sectional area of the jejunal lumen 42 between the proximal end 16b and the intermediate portion 16d.
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 6, the feeding tube 16 is configured with one or more gastric holes 48 that may be formed on the outer wall of a downstream part of the gastric lumen 40 and one or more jejunal holes 50 along the outer wall located exteriorly of a downstream portion of the jejunal lumen 42. As a result, transmission of fluid in and out of the feeding tube 16 is possible through the gastric holes 48 and the jejunal holes 50. Specifically, the feeding tube 16 and the separating wall 46 will be configured to be of such length that the gastric holes 48 and the jejunal hole 50 are located in the stomach and the jejunum respectively and that the gastric lumen 40 is in fluid communication with the stomach while the jejunal lumen 42 is in fluid communication with the jejunum.
In the present embodiment, the balloon 14 is an expandable component that may have a cylindrical shape in its original state and may be placed over the feeding tube 16. The longitudinal ends of the balloon 14 are secured to the exterior of the feeding tube 16 near the proximal end 16b by gluing, for example, such that an enclosed space is formed in between the longitudinal ends. The outer wall of the feeding tube 16 to the exterior of the balloon lumen 44 is provided with one or more balloon holes thereby establishing fluid communication between the balloon lumen 44 and the balloon 14. The balloon lumen 44 may be closed off downstream of the balloon hole leading to the enclosed space of the balloon 14. As a result, the balloon 14 can be inflated, as shown in phantom in FIG. 2, by supplying an external fluid, such as air or water, into the balloon port 30.
Additionally, the G-J feeding device 10 may include a stiffening element, such as a wire 52 (FIG. 1), that is inserted either into the balloon lumen 44 or downstream into the gastric lumen 44 and extends partially along the length of the gastric lumen 40. The stiffening element 52, which is shown in phantom in FIG. 4, while malleable, is intended to make a part of the tubular portion less prone to bending and may be made of materials providing flexibility and rigidity such as metal. The stiffening element 52 may extend from near the intermediate portion 16d toward the distal end 16c, for example, between a portion of the feeding tube 16 downstream of the balloon 14 and the intermediate portion 16d. The stiffening element 52 allows for straighter entry into the small intestine and reduces the likelihood of the feeding tube 16 backing out of the patient's body. The stiffening element 52 may be used to close off the balloon lumen 14 downstream of the balloon hole.
As shown in FIGS. 7-8, the distal end 16c is open and includes a deformable portion 54 that has a default shape dimensioned to be wider than the diameter of the tubular portion 16a. The deformable portion 54 can be deformed out of its default shape and may be one or more arm 56 that extends away from the tubular portion 16a in an outwardly flared orientation in the default shape. The arm 56 may be integrally formed with the tubular portion 16a, or bonded in some manner to the distal end 16c of the feeding tube 16. The distal end 16c may include a bead 58 formed at an interface of the tubular portion 16a and the arm 56 on an interior surface of the feeding tube 16 so as to impart on the arm 56 a flared orientation and biases the arm 56 toward such a position. As such, due to the flexibility of the feeding tube 16, the arm 56 can be deformed to assume a different position and return to a default position. The bead 58 may be formed by applying silicone on the interior surface of the feeding tube 16. The deformable portion 54 may be embodied in a number of ways. For example, the arms 56 may flare outward (FIG. 8) or may be oriented backward toward the proximal end 16b in an umbrella-like configuration (FIG. 7). Instead of using beads 58, the umbrella-like configuration may be obtained by attaching a separate piece to the distal end 16c.
The design with the open distal end 16c allows the device 10 to be guidewire-compatible in both the deformed state and a released, default shape. In particular, after a guidewire (not shown) is inserted into the stomach and the jejunum, it is possible to push the feeding tube 16 into the patient's body with the feeding tube 16 sliding past the guidewire and the guidewire extending through the jejunal lumen 42.
A loop of suture 60 may be connected to the distal end 16c such that the distal end 16c may be pulled by the loop 60 using an instrument such as an endoscope. However, the feeding tube 16 may also be inserted into a patient's body by pushing the feeding tube 16 into a stoma without using an instrument.
Moreover, as shown in FIG. 6, the capsule 18 may be placed on the distal end 16c of the feeding tube 16 for reducing the dimension of the distal end 16c and facilitating travel of the distal end 16c within the patient's body, especially the intestines. The capsule 18 may be made of material that dissolves upon contact with bodily fluids, such as vegetable cellulose (HPMC). The capsule 18 may provide an aperture 62 to allow the loop of suture 60 to extend past the capsule 18 and allow the loop 60 to be pulled by an instrument. In case a guidewire is used to insert the feeding tube 16, the guidewire is passed through the aperture 62 on the capsule 18 and the feeding tube 16 is pushed and inserted past the guidewire.
Prior to insertion of the distal end 16c into a patient's body, the capsule 18 is placed on the distal end 16c and the arms 56 become deformed to be accommodated into the capsule 18. The distal end 16c is thereafter inserted into a patient's body until the distal end 16c is located in the patient's jejunum. The capsule 18 is allowed to dissolve after a predetermined amount of time and the arms 56 are allowed to return to a flared orientation. The arms 56 in the flared orientation restrict the movement of the distal end 16c within the jejunum and prevent distal end 16c from being repelled out of the jejunum.
It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the claimed invention.
Patent Grant
9095502
