Catheter With Imaging Assembly With Placement Aid And Related Methods Therefor

• US 20140073853A1
• Filed: 09/07/2012
• Published: 03/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kpr U.S., LLC (Cardinal Health, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Tyco Healthcare Group LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Swisher, David Rork, Davis, Kelly A., Naminy, Saeed Shakoori
• Granted Patent: US 9,198,835 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/104
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0005 combining images e.g. side-by-side, superimposed or tiled
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00087 Tools A61B17/00234 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0011 Manufacturing of endoscope parts
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00124 electrical, e.g. electrical plug-and-socket connection
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00144 Hygienic packaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/005 Flexible endoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/015 Control of fluid supply or evacuation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/05 characterised by the image sensor, e.g. camera, being in the distal end portion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/051 Details of CCD assembly
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0676 at distal tip of an endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0684 using light emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/233 for the nose, i.e. nasoscopes , e.g. testing of patency of Eustachian tubes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3415 for introducing tubes or catheters, e.g. gastrostomy tubes, drain catheters A61B17/3417 takes precedence; body piercing catheter guide needles A61M25/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 15/0003 Nasal or oral feeding-tubes, e.g. tube entering body through nose or mouth
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 15/0026 Parts, details or accessories for feeding-tubes external tubes from medical containers to a connector outside of the body A61M39/08
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0008 having visible markings on its surface, i.e. visible to the naked eye, for any purpose, e.g. insertion depth markers, rotational markers or identification of type

Abstract

A feeding tube assembly having a feeding tube, an imaging assembly having a rigid axis and a bending axis transversely oriented relative to the rigid axis is disclosed. The imaging assembly can be preferentially deformable along the bending axis relative to the rigid axis. A marking disposed on at least one of the imaging assembly and the feeding tube can provide an indication of the bending axis. A packaging comprising a curvilinear cavity and a circular cavity can respectively contain the imaging assembly and the feeding tube, in a coiled configuration, which induces the feeding tube assembly into a pre-set, arcuate shape.

Claims

1. A feeding tube assembly having a feeding outlet for delivering enteral feeding liquid, comprising:

a feeding tube having opposite first and second longitudinal ends, and a feeding passage extending along a longitudinal axis defined between the first and second longitudinal ends of the feeding tube; and

an imaging assembly secured to the feeding tube proximate the first longitudinal end of the feeding tube, the imaging assembly having a rigid axis and a bending axis transversely oriented relative to the rigid axis, the imaging assembly preferentially deformable along the bending axis relative to the rigid axis.

2. The feeding tube assembly of claim 1, further comprising a marking disposed proximate the first longitudinal end on at least one of the imaging assembly and the feeding tube, the marking configured to provide an indication of the bending axis.

3. The feeding tube assembly of claim 1, wherein the imaging assembly comprises a deformable circuit element that is preferentially deformable with the bending axis relative to the rigid axis, and an imaging device mounted on the deformable circuit element.

4. The feeding tube assembly of claim 2, wherein the imaging assembly further comprises a light source and housing enclosing the deformable circuit element, the imaging device, and the light source, wherein the marking is disposed on an outer surface of the housing.

5. The feeding tube assembly of claim 4, wherein the deformable circuit element comprises a planar longitudinal portion planarly oriented parallel to the longitudinal axis of the feeding tube, and a planar transverse portion transversely oriented relative to the longitudinal axis of the feeding tube, wherein the deformable circuit element is preferentially bendable along the planar longitudinal portion, and wherein the imaging device and the light source are mounted on the transverse portion of the deformable circuit element.

6. The feeding tube assembly of claim 2, wherein the deformable circuit comprises a planar longitudinal portion and at least one fold line on the planar longitudinal portion oriented transversely relative to the longitudinal axis of the feeding tube.

7. The feeding tube assembly of claim 1, wherein the imaging assembly has a curvilinear pre-set shape along the bending axis.

8. A feeding tube kit comprising:

a feeding tube assembly including a flexible feeding tube having opposite first and second longitudinal ends, a longitudinal axis extending between the first and second longitudinal ends, and a feeding passage defined therein extending along the longitudinal axis between the first and second longitudinal ends, an inlet adaptor adjacent the second longitudinal end of the tube in fluid communication with the feeding passage, the inlet adaptor configured for fluid connection to a source of enteral feeding liquid to fluidly connect the source of enteral feeding liquid to the feeding passage, an elongate imaging assembly including an imaging device, the imaging assembly configured for generating and transmitting imaging signals indicative of images of the alimentary canal of a subject, wherein the imaging assembly has a longitudinal axis and is secured to the tube adjacent the first longitudinal end of the tube, the imaging assembly being bendable along its longitudinal axis in a bending direction, and a feeding outlet proximate the imaging assembly and in fluid communication with the feeding passage for delivering enteral feeding liquid to the subject; and

a package in which the feeding tube assembly is received, the package including an imaging assembly cavity having an elongate, curvilinear shape selected to pre-form a desired bend into the imaging device, wherein the imaging assembly is received in the imaging assembly cavity so that the imaging assembly conforms generally to the curvilinear shape of the imaging assembly cavity.

9. The feeding tube assembly packaging of claim 8, wherein the imaging assembly cavity includes opposing, curvilinear side walls engaging the imaging assembly.

10. The feeding tube assembly packaging of claim 9, wherein the imaging assembly is generally non-bendable along its longitudinal axis in a transverse direction that is generally transverse to the bending direction, wherein the feeding tube assembly further includes a marking on one of the imaging assembly, and the feeding tube generally adjacent the first longitudinal end of the feeding tube, the marking configured for indicating at least one of the bending direction of the imaging assembly.

11. The feeding tube assembly packing of claim 10, wherein the marking is aligned with the packaging to orient the imaging assembly in the imaging assembly cavity.

12. The feeding tube assembly packaging of claim 8, wherein the imaging assembly is configured to fully or partially retain the conformed curvilinear shape.

13. The feeding tube assembly packaging as set forth in claim 8, wherein the feeding tube assembly includes a marking that is aligned with the packaging so as to orient the imaging assembly in the imaging assembly cavity to pre-set a shape in the imaging assembly for traversing the nasopharynx.

14. The feeding tube assembly packaging of claim 8, wherein the package includes a feeding tube receiving cavity, wherein the feeding tube is coiled and received in the feeding tube receiving cavity.

15. A method of providing a feeding tube assembly having a feeding passage and a feeding outlet for delivering enteral feeding liquid, the method comprising:

providing a feeding tube having an imaging assembly secured to the feeding tube proximate the feeding outlet of the feeding tube, the imaging assembly having a rigid axis and a bending axis that is transversely oriented relative to the rigid axis, wherein the imaging assembly is preferentially deformable along the bending axis relative to the rigid axis;

providing a container comprising an curvilinear cavity and a receiving cavity; and

arcuately disposing at least a portion of the imaging assembly in the curvilinear cavity in conformation with the bending axis of the imaging assembly.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising coiling at least a portion of the feeding tube in a plurality of loops, each of the loops having a coiling direction at least partially coincident the bending axis;

and disposing at least one of the loops in the receiving cavity.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the feeding tube assembly further comprises a marking disposed on at least one of the imaging assembly and the feeding tube, and wherein the marking is configured to provide an indication of the bending axis.