GASTRO-ESOPHAGEAL REFLUX CONTROL SYSTEM AND PUMP
First Claim
1. A method for reducing gastro-esophageal reflux into a patient'"'"'s esophagus from a patient'"'"'s stomach, the method comprising:
- providing an enteral feeding tube having a double lumen, a gastric pressure sensor, and an esophageal bladder;
inserting said enteral feeding tube into said patient'"'"'s upper alimentary canal, to position said gastric pressure sensor in said patient'"'"'s stomach and said esophageal bladder in said patient'"'"'s esophagus;
receiving from said gastric pressure sensor a signal that is averaged using a filter algorithm;
setting a pressure gradient value that is added to said averaged gastric pressure signal to define a relative level of esophageal seal pressure; and
pressurizing said esophageal bladder at said esophageal seal pressure to seal the esophagus against gastro-pharyngeal reflux.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An enteral feeding unit that reduces the occurrence of gastro-esophogeal-pharynegal reflux during feeding includes an automatable feeding pump with a feedback sensor for sensing a relative pressure in a patient'"'"'s stomach and esophagus, and a regulator system for controlling and monitoring feeding rate to the patient as a function of the relative gastro-esophageal pressure. The system includes a stomach probe that provides a fluid-tight closure of the esophagus. The stomach probe includes a tampon-bladder for watertight closure of the esophagus, in which the tampon-bladder is formed of flexible and/or elastic material. At least an inner cavity of the bladder is provided for the reception of a fluid medium. A prescribed pressure for the medium in the tampon-bladder (53) is maintained by an inner lumen forming the stomach probe, from which an outer hose-like lumen (62) extending to the tampon-bladder (53) is so arranged that between the outer lumen (62) and the inner lumen (61) a channel is formed connected to the inner cavity of the tampon-bladder (53) arranged on the outer lumen (62) by a number of openings (57). The inner cavity (58) of the tampon-bladder (53) is connected via a canal formed between the inner and outer lumina (62) with a suitably graded reservoir or equalizing vessel for the liquid medium situated above the tampon-bladder and outside the patient.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method for reducing gastro-esophageal reflux into a patient'"'"'s esophagus from a patient'"'"'s stomach, the method comprising:
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providing an enteral feeding tube having a double lumen, a gastric pressure sensor, and an esophageal bladder; inserting said enteral feeding tube into said patient'"'"'s upper alimentary canal, to position said gastric pressure sensor in said patient'"'"'s stomach and said esophageal bladder in said patient'"'"'s esophagus; receiving from said gastric pressure sensor a signal that is averaged using a filter algorithm; setting a pressure gradient value that is added to said averaged gastric pressure signal to define a relative level of esophageal seal pressure; and pressurizing said esophageal bladder at said esophageal seal pressure to seal the esophagus against gastro-pharyngeal reflux.
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2. An anti-gastro-esophageal reflux device for use during enteral feeding, the device comprising:
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a pressure-regulating unit; a tube having a double lumen, a gastric balloon, and an esophageal bladder, said gastric balloon being connected by a first conduit to said pressure-regulating unit and configured to be disposed in the patient'"'"'s stomach to sense the gastric pressure therein, said esophageal bladder being connected by a second conduit to said pressure-regulating unit, said esophageal bladder having a compressible volume and an outer surface with a plurality of pleats that are configured to intermesh with a patient'"'"'s esophagus wall structures, and said pressure-regulating unit being configured to maintain a pressure within said esophageal bladder at a level greater than the gastric pressure exerted on said gastric balloon when the anti-gastro-esophageal reflux device is in use.
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3. An anti-gastro-esophageal reflux device for use during enteral feeding, the device comprising:
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a tube having a double lumen; a gastric pressure sensor configured to be disposed in the patient'"'"'s stomach to sense the gastric pressure therein and configured for monitoring gastric pressure when enteral feeding is in process; an esophageal bladder having a compressible volume and an outer surface with a plurality of pleats that are configured to intermesh with a patient'"'"'s esophagus wall structures; a control device that is connected via a first conduit to said esophageal bladder and configured to regulate fluid pressure within said esophageal bladder, said gastric pressure sensor being connected in communication with said control device, said control device including a filter algorithm configured to provide an averaged signal from signals received from said gastric pressure sensor, said control device being configured to add a pre-set gradient value to said averaged signal to define a relative level of esophageal seal pressure, and said control device being configured to maintain said relative level of esophageal seal pressure within said esophageal bladder when the anti-gastro-esophageal reflux device is in use. - View Dependent Claims (4)
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5. An enteral-feeding device comprising:
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an automatable feeding pump; a control device having a feedback sensor for sensing a pressure gradient between the pressure in a patient'"'"'s stomach and the pressure in a patient'"'"'s esophagus, said control device being configured for controlling and monitoring the pump'"'"'s feeding rate to the patient as a function of said pressure gradient. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification