Button-balloon system

• US 20040147874A1
• Filed: 03/16/2004
• Published: 07/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nutricia Healthcare SA (Danone SA (Belgium))
• Original Assignee: Nutricia Healthcare SA (Danone SA (Belgium))
• Inventors: Wolkenstorfer, Reinhold, Kliem, Michael, Kleijs, Harry
• Granted Patent: US 7,060,050 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/96.01
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 15/0015 Gastrostomy feeding-tubes insertion tools or methods A61B17/34
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 15/0042 inflatable
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 15/0073 Multi-lumen tubes
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 15/0092 Valves on feeding tubes tube valves A61M39/22

Abstract

A balloon-button system or a catheter for performing percutaneous enteral feeding includes, a holding part, which can be placed on the abdominal wall, and a probe tube, which extends from the holding part while being connected thereto and via which the nourishment that is inserted through a connecting part situated in the holding part can be introduced into the stomach lumen. This system is characterized in that the probe tube surrounds a protective tube, and the protective tube has a higher Shore A hardness than the probe tube.

Claims

1. A balloon-button system (1) for performing percutaneous enteral feeding, comprising a holding part (2), which can be placed on the abdominal wall, and a probe tube (3), which extends from the holding part (2) while being connected thereto and via which the nourishment that is inserted through a connecting part (4) situated in the holding part (2) can be introduced into the stomach lumen, with the probe tube (3) forming an inner tube (8) in its distal area, and an outer tube (6) that surrounds the same, and the outer tube (6) being formed by turning the inner tube (8) inside out at the distal end (10) of the latter and by pulling it back, and being joined, at its proximal end, to the inner tube (3) in a fluid-tight manner, and being expandable to form a balloon (7) by introducing water or the like via a supply line (16), which extends from the holding part (2) and which opens out between the outer tube (6) and the inner tube (3), characterized in that

probe tube (3) encloses a support tube (5), and support tube (5) has a higher Shore A hardness than probe tube (3).

2. The balloon-button system according to claim 1, characterized in that

support tube (5) has a Shore A hardness of 65 to 100, and probe tube (3) has a Shore A hardness of 20 to 55.

3. The balloon-button system according to claim 2, characterized in that

support tube (5) has a Shore A hardness of about 80, and probe tube (3) has a Shore A hardness of about 40.

4. The balloon-button system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that

outer tube (6), at its proximal end, where it is connected to inner tube (8), has at least one peripherally circumferential bead (14) on its inner surface area, which bead engages into an opposite groove (15) formed in the outer surface area of inner tube (8).

5. The balloon-button system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that

outer tube (6), at its proximal end (12) is connected to inner tube (8) by bonding.

6. The balloon-button system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that

probe tube (3) and support tube (5) are made of a injection-moldable material.

7. The balloon-button system according to claim 6, characterized in that

the injection-moldable material is silicone.

8. The balloon-button system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that

the wall thickness of the outer tube (6) is smaller in the area of its distal end (10) than in the area of its proximal end (12).

9. The balloon-button system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that

inner tube (8) is tapered in the transition area (26) towards outer tube (6), and outer tube (6), in this transition area (26) again is expanded in a funnel-shape in the direction towards its proximal end.

10. The balloon-button system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that

holding part (2) is a silicone holding part (2) made by injection-molding of silicone.

11. The balloon-button system according to claim 10, characterized in that

the connection between probe tube (3) and silicone holding part (2) is manufactured by surrounding the proximal end of probe tube (3) with silicone material during injection-molding of the silicone holding part.

12. The balloon-button system according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that

connecting part (2) is approximately tubular or funnel-shaped, is made of hard plastic, and has a radially outwards protruding and at least in part peripherally circumferential rim (22), which has at least one break-through (23), and which is completely surrounded by silicone holding part (2).

13. The balloon-button system according to claim 12, characterized in that

connecting part (4), on the lower side of rim (22) and hence on the side pointing towards probe tube (3) has several knobs (24) oriented radially outwards, which either are attached to holding part (4) and/or to the lower side of rim (22) and/or are formed in one piece with same and are surrounded by silicone holding part (2).