Enteral feeding unit having a reflux device and reflux method

• US 20040054350A1
• Filed: 09/17/2002
• Published: 03/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: CORPAK MedSystems, Inc. (Avanos Medical, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CORPAK MedSystems, Inc. (Avanos Medical, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wellet, Jason L., Shaughnessy, Michael C.
• Application Number:
  US10/246,436
• Publication Number:
  US 20040054350A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/535
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 15/0003 Nasal or oral feeding-tubes, e.g. tube entering body through nose or mouth
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 15/0076 Feeding pumps A61M1/00, A61M5/142, A61M25/1018 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 15/0096 Provisions for venting
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2200/76 for fluid level

Abstract

The present invention relates to an enteral feeding unit having a reflux device for use during enteral feeding. The enteral feeding unit, in one embodiment, includes an administration device connected to a relatively large reservoir tube which is in fluid communication with a patient'"'"'s oral or nasal passage. The reservoir tube receives the reflux fluid from a patient and returns the reflux fluid to the patient when certain pressure conditions are present. This reservoir tube is preferably non-collapsible and preferably bears volumetric markings which enable a user to measure ,the amount of reflux fluid expelled by a patient. This type of enteral feeding unit provides users with a convenient way of accommodating and monitoring reflux fluid during the enteral feeding process.

Claims

1. A reflux device for use during enteral feeding, comprising:

a reservoir tube having a first end defining at least one opening, a body having a predetermined diameter and a second end defining an opening; and

a delivery tube including a first end connected to the second end of the reservoir tube, a branch adapted for connection to an administration tube and a second end received directly or indirectly by a patient, the delivery tube having a diameter less than the diameter of the body of the reservoir tube.

2. The reflux device of claim 1, wherein the reservoir tube is non-collapsible.

3. The reflux device of claim 1, wherein the reservoir tube has a volume which is large enough to receive all reflux fluid expelled by a patient during an entire enteral feeding process.

4. The reflux device of claim 1, which includes a plurality of measurement markings on the reservoir tube.

5. The reflux device of claim 1, which includes a vent member connected to the first end of the reservoir tube.

6. The reflux device of claim 1, which includes a feeding tube connected to the delivery tube, wherein the feeding tube is received by the patient.

7. The reflux device of claim 1, wherein the branch has a position at or below a patient level.

8. A reflux device for use with an administration device during enteral feeding of a patient, the administration device having at least one administration tube, the reflux device comprising:

a non-collapsible reservoir tube having a first end defining at least one opening which vents to atmosphere, a body having a predetermined diameter and a second end defining an opening having a diameter less than the diameter of the body;

a plurality of measurement markings on the non-collapsible reservoir tube; and

a delivery tube, in fluid communication with the reservoir tube and the administration tube, which is received directly or indirectly by the patient, the delivery tube having a diameter less than the diameter of the body of the reservoir tube.

9. The reflux device of claim 8, wherein the reservoir tube has a volume which is large enough to receive all reflux fluid expelled by a patient during an entire enteral feeding process.

10. The reflux device of claim 8, which includes a vent member connected to the first end of the reservoir tube.

11. The reflux device of claim 8, which includes a feeding tube connected to the delivery tube, wherein the feeding tube is received by the patient.

12. The reflux device of claim 8, wherein the measurement markings indicate a plurality of different volumes of reflux fluid.

13. A reflux device for use with an administration device during enteral feeding of a patient, the administration device having at least one administration tube, the reflux device comprising:

a reservoir tube having a first end defining at least one opening, a body having a predetermined diameter and a second end defining an opening;

a multi-way connector in fluid communication with the second end of the reservoir tube and the administration tube; and

a first delivery tube in fluid communication with the multi-way connector; and

a second delivery tube connected to the first delivery tube, the second delivery tube received directly or indirectly by the patient, the second delivery tube having a diameter which is less than the diameter of the body of the reservoir tube.

14. The reflux device of claim 13, wherein the second end of the reservoir tube includes an adapter member having an opening which is less than the diameter of the body of the reservoir tube.

15. The reflux device of claim 13, wherein the multi-way connector is removably connected to the administration tube.

16. The reflux device of claim 13, wherein the multi-way connector is rigidly connected to the administration tube.

17. The reflux device of claim 13, which includes a third delivery tube having a first end connected to the second end of the reservoir tube and a second end connected to the multi-way connector.

18. The reflux device of claim 13, wherein the second delivery tube includes a feeding tube.

19. The reflux device of claim 18, wherein the feeding tube includes a multi-way connector in fluid communication with the first delivery tube.

20. The reflux device of claim 13, wherein at least part of the multi-way connector is positioned at or below a patient level.

21. A method of enterally feeding a patient, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) delivering feeding fluid from a feeding source through a delivery tube to a patient;

(b) receiving reflux fluid from the patient through the delivery tube;

(c) channeling the received reflux fluid to a reservoir tube; and

(d) enabling any gaseous portion of the reflux fluid to vent to atmosphere.

22. The method of claim 21, which includes the step of using markings on the reservoir tube to gather information about reflux fluid.

23. The method of claim 22, which includes the step of maintaining a constant presence of fluid in the delivery tube.

24. The method of claim 21, which includes the step of returning reflux fluid to the patient when predetermined pressure conditions are present.

25. The method of claim 21, which includes the step of enabling a patient to expel all of the patient'"'"'s reflux fluid into the reservoir tube during an entire enteral feeding process.

26. A method of treating reflux fluid during enteral feeding, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) maintaining a pressure in a reservoir tube which is less than a patient'"'"'s expulsion pressure;

(b) enabling a patient to expel reflux fluid into the reservoir tube;

(c) receiving reflux fluid in the reservoir tube;

(d) enabling any gaseous portion of the received reflux fluid to flow out of the reservoir tube to atmosphere;

(e) using measurement markings on the reservoir tube to gather information about the reflux fluid in the reservoir tube; and

(f) enabling at least part of the reflux fluid in the reservoir tube to be delivered from the reservoir tube through a delivery tube to the patient after predetermined pressure conditions have been satisfied.

27. The method of claim 26, which includes the step of enabling the patient to expel various amounts of reflux fluid until enteral feeding is terminated.

28. The method of claim 27, which includes the step of receiving all of said various amounts of reflux fluid in the reservoir tube during an entire enteral feeding period.

29. An enteral feeding unit comprising:

a container which contains feeding fluid, the container defining at least one opening;

an administration tube having a first end and a second end, the first end of the administration tube connected directly or indirectly to the container and the second end of the administration tube in fluid communication with a reservoir tube, the reservoir tube having a first end defining at least one opening, a body having a predetermined diameter and a second end defining an opening; and

a delivery tube in fluid communication with the second end of the reservoir tube, the delivery tube received directly or indirectly by the patient and the delivery tube having a diameter which is less than the diameter of the body of the reservoir tube.

30. The enteral feeding unit of claim 29, wherein the reservoir tube is non-collapsible.

31. The enteral feeding unit of claim 29, wherein the reservoir tube has a volume which is large enough to receive all reflux fluid expelled by a patient during an entire enteral feeding process.

32. The enteral feeding unit of claim 29, which includes a plurality of measurement markings on the reservoir tube.

33. The enteral feeding unit of claim 29, which includes a vent member connected to the first end of the reservoir tube.

34. The enteral feeding unit of claim 29, which includes a feeding tube connected to the delivery tube, wherein the feeding tube is received by the patient.

35. The enteral feeding unit of claim 29, which includes a pump which co-acts with the administration tube.

36. The enteral feeding unit of claim 29, wherein the delivery tube has a first end connected to the reservoir tube and the administration tube and a second received directly or indirectly by the patient, said connection of the first end to the reservoir tube and the administration tube positioned at or below a patient level.

37. The enteral feeding unit of claim 29, wherein the delivery tube is positioned relative to the patient so that there is a constant presence of fluid in the delivery tube.