Gastric systems, apparatus, and methods for use with enteral feeding

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10682286-B2
Application number	US-201816218933-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 13, 2018
Priority date	Sep 4, 2014
Publication date	Jun 16, 2020
Grant date	Jun 16, 2020

Abstract

Systems, methods, and apparatus for gastric pressure relief, flow regulation, location, gastric residual volume, a placement reminder, bidirectional fluid flow markings, reintroducing gastric material, collection reservoir raising, collection reservoir hanging, a drain port, setting tube length, and vent membranes. A gastric pressure relief system is used in connection with an enteral feeding system, which includes a feeding container, administration tubing and a delivery tube, where the gastric pressure relief system is interposed between the administration tubing and the delivery tube. The gastric pressure relief system includes a collection reservoir with a gas vent to ambient atmosphere, relief tubing secured to both the collection reservoir and a multi-way connector. The multi-way connector joins the administration tubing to the relief tubing and a delivery tube at a point below a patient's stomach, which is designated on a placement reminder apparatus.

First claim

The invention is claimed as follows:

1. An enteral feeding gastric pressure relief system comprising:
a feeding container connected to an administration tubing;
a relief tubing;
a delivery tube in fluid communication with the administration tubing and the relief tubing;
a multi-way connector having a first arm, a second arm, and a third arm, wherein
the first arm is connected to the relief tubing,
the second arm is connected to the delivery tube, and
the third arm is connected to the administration tubing;

a collection reservoir in fluid communication with the relief tubing, wherein the collection reservoir includes a vent configured to allow gas to pass through in both directions and at least one chamber configured to collect reflux fluids from a patient's stomach via the relief tubing;
a gastric residual volume measurement apparatus interconnected to the relief tubing between the collection reservoir and the multi-way connector; and
a check valve configured to permit flow in one direction from the administration tubing to either the relief tubing or the delivery tube.

2. The enteral feeding gastric pressure relief system of claim 1 , wherein the check valve is an internal valve positioned within the third arm of the multi-way connector.

3. The enteral feeding gastric pressure relief system of claim 1 , wherein the check valve is interposed between the multi-way connector and the administration tubing.

4. The enteral feeding gastric pressure relief system of claim 1 , wherein the collection reservoir comprises volumetric indicia configured to represent a volume of reflux fluids received from the patient's stomach.

5. The enteral feeding gastric pressure relief system of claim 1 , wherein the mufti-way connector is a Y-connector.

6. The enteral feeding gastric pressure relief system of claim 1 , further comprising a flow regulator adapted to regulate flow within the relief tubing.

7. The enteral feeding gastric pressure relief system of claim 6 , further comprising a detector coupled to the collection reservoir and configured to detect one or more characteristics of the collection reservoir, wherein
the flow regulator is coupled to the detector for controlling the flow of fluids between the multi-way connector and the collection reservoir, and
the flow regulator is configured to selectively and adjustably limit the flow of fluid through the relief tubing.

8. The enteral feeding gastric pressure relief system of claim 7 , wherein the detector comprises either a hanging weight scale or a weight load cell, and further wherein the flow regulator further comprises a digital controller in communication with the detector, the flow regulator comprises an adjustable clamp configured to apply pressure to the relief tubing, and the amount of pressure applied to the relief tubing is based on measurement data from the detector.

9. The enteral feeding gastric pressure relief system of claim 1 , further comprising a clip configured to maintain the multi-way connector in a position at or below a patient's stomach level.

10. The enteral feeding gastric pressure relief system of claim 1 , further comprising a collection reservoir raising apparatus, the collection reservoir raising apparatus comprising: a support stand; a pulley connected to the support stand; and a cord connected to the collection reservoir, wherein the cord is configured to fit through the pulley and raise the collection reservoir.

11. The enteral feeding gastric pressure relief system of claim 1 , further comprising a drain port connected to the collection reservoir.

12. The enteral feeding gastric pressure relief system of claim 1 , wherein the fluid delivery tubing has a first length defined by a minimum length required to position the mufti-way connector at a patient stomach level when the feeding tube is providing fluid nutrient to a patient.

13. A method for providing gastric pressure relief during enteral feeding, wherein the enteral feeding is implemented using a feeding container that delivers fluid nutrient to a feeding tube via an administration tubing, the method comprising:
providing a gastric pressure relief system, the gastric pressure relief system comprising the feeding container connected to the administration tubing; a relief tubing; a delivery tube including a fluid delivery tubing segment in fluid communication with the administration tubing and the relief tubing; a multi-way connector having a first arm, a second arm, and a third arm, wherein the first arm is connected to the relief tubing, the second arm is connected to the delivery tube, and the third arm is connected to the administration tubing; a collection reservoir in fluid communication with the relief tubing, wherein the collection reservoir includes a vent configured to allow gas to pass through in both directions and at least one chamber configured to collect reflux fluids from a patient's stomach via the relief tubing; and a check valve configured to permit flow in one direction from the administration tubing to either the relief tubing or the delivery tube;
intubating the feeding tube in a patient, wherein the feeding tube has a proximal end outside the patient's body;
measuring the approximate shortest distance between the feeding tube proximal end and a vertical plane at the level of the patient's stomach;
setting the length of the fluid delivery tubing segment to approximately the measured shortest distance;
coupling the fluid delivery tubing segment to the feeding tube and to the multi-way connector; and
providing fluid nutrient to the patient.

Assignees

• Avent Inc

Inventors

• Nordquist Jeffrey S
• Mcvey Robert D
• Klodd Elizabeth J
• Newland Jon W
• Koelper Crystal E
• Lazar Jill F
• Seeler Renee M
• Rogers Karin A
• Maraone Steven M

Classifications

• A61J15/0076

  Feeding pumps (A61M1/00, A61M5/142, A61M25/1018 take precedence) · CPC title

• A61J15/0015

  Gastrostomy feeding-tubes (insertion tools or methods A61B17/34) · CPC title

• A61M2205/6081

  Colour codes · CPC title

• A61J15/0003 Primary

  Nasal or oral feeding-tubes, e.g. tube entering body through nose or mouth · CPC title

• A61M2039/085

  external enteral feeding tubes · CPC title