ENTERAL FEEDING WARMING SYSTEM

• US 20150305985A1
• Filed: 04/25/2014
• Published: 10/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Neonatal Product Group Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Neonatal Product Group Incorporated
• Inventors: Norman, Scott, Petheram, Mark, Hash, Anthony
• Granted Patent: US 9,446,205 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3368 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/36 related to heating or cooling
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3653 by Joule effect, i.e. electric resistance
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2240/00 Specially adapted for neonatal use
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/142 Pressure infusion, e.g. using pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/44 having means for cooling or heating the devices or media

Abstract

An enteral feeding warming system for warming enteral feeding fluid and delivering the feeding fluid to an infant or other patient comprises a pump, a warming device, and an enteral feeding tube. The pump may be connected to an enteral feeding fluid source. The warming device includes a housing, a heating element, a heat spreader, a temperature sensor, a controller, a display, a number of user inputs, and a power source. The housing includes outer walls defining an interior chamber and a feeding tube channel separate from the interior chamber. The interior chamber retains the heating element, heat spreader, temperature sensor, and controller therein. The feeding tube channel includes a number of turns and straight sections for increasing an effective length of the feeding tube channel and receives an intermediate portion of the enteral feeding tube therein.

Claims

1. An enteral feeding warming device comprising:

a housing having first and second mating clamshell housing sections connected by a hinge mechanism, the first housing section having exterior walls defining an internal heating chamber, each housing section having at least one complementary magnet for releasably retaining the housing sections in a closed configuration;

a channel formed in one of the exterior walls of the first housing section, the channel having a straight entry section, a first partial turn, six complete straight sections and five complete turns alternating with each other to form a back-and-forth pattern, a second partial turn, and a straight exit section in that order, the straight entry section and the straight exit section each being shorter than the complete straight sections, the partial turns each forming an effective angle of greater than 90 degrees and less than 180 degrees, the complete turns each forming effective angles of greater than 0 degrees and less than 90 degrees and each including a primary region and two secondary regions curving in a direction opposite the primary region, the channel having a substantially semi-circular cross section with a diameter of between 0.06 inches and 0.16 inches and an effective length of between 12 inches and 16 inches for receiving an enteral feeding tube having an outer surface, a first end for receiving feeding fluid from a storage device, and a second end for administering the feeding fluid to a patient at a fluid flow rate of between approximately 0.25 milliliters per minute and approximately 1 milliliter per minute, the channel being configured to contact the enteral feeding tube at least 180 degrees around the outer surface of the enteral feeding tube without an air gap between the channel and the enteral feeding tube so that heat is transferred directly from the warming device to the enteral feeding tube, the primary region and the two secondary being cooperatively configured to retain the enteral feeding tube in the channel;

a heating element positioned within the internal heating chamber of the first housing section and configured to heat the channel for warming the feeding fluid in the enteral feeding tube;

a controller for controlling operation of the heating element such that the feeding fluid administered from the second end of the feeding tube is warmed to a temperature between 90 degrees and 103 degrees Fahrenheit; and

a heat spreader positioned within the internal heating chamber of the first housing section for uniformly spreading heat from the heating element so that the heating element does not warm air in the housing to a temperature greater than 103 degrees Fahrenheit so that the fluid is gradually warmed through the entire length of the channel.

2. The enteral feeding warming device of claim 1, wherein the heating element requires between 2 and 3 minutes to warm the air in the housing from room temperature to at least 90 degrees Fahrenheit.

4. The enteral feeding warming device of claim 1, further comprising a temperature sensor for sensing an internal temperature of the enteral feeding warming device, the controller being configured to control the operation of the heater based on the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor.

5. The enteral feeding warming device of claim 4, wherein the temperature sensor is a thermistor.

6. The enteral feeding warming device of claim 4, further comprising a display configured to indicate the internal temperature of the enteral feeding warming device.

7. The enteral feeding warming device of claim 6, wherein the display is further configured to indicate information related to operation of the enteral feeding warming device, the information including:

a power status, a heating status, a ready status, an error, a warning, a time, a time counter, and a user instruction.

8. The enteral feeding warming device of claim 6, wherein the display is further configured to indicate when the enteral feeding warming device is ready to begin warming the feeding fluid for being administered to the patient.

9. The enteral feeding warming device of claim 1, further comprising a power switch for turning on and turning off the enteral feeding warming device.

10. The enteral feeding warming device of claim 1, wherein the housing further comprises a mount for mounting the enteral feeding warming device on a support.

11. The enteral feeding warming device of claim 1, wherein the heating element is a silicone heating pad.

3. (canceled)

12. (canceled)

13-16. -16. (canceled)

17. (canceled)

18-20. -20. (canceled)

21. An enteral feeding warming system comprising:

an electric pump configured to pump feeding fluid from a storage source at a flow rate of between approximately 0.25 millimeters per minute and approximately 1 millimeter per minute;

an enteral feeding warming device comprising;

a housing having;

first and second mating clamshell housing sections connected by a hinge mechanism, the first housing section having exterior walls defining an internal heating chamber, each housing section having at least one complementary magnet for releasably retaining the housing sections in a closed configuration; and

a mount connected to one of the housing sections for mounting the enteral feeding warming device on a support;

a channel formed in one of the exterior walls of the first housing section, the channel having a straight entry section, a first partial turn, six complete straight sections and five complete turns alternating with each other to form a back-and-forth pattern, a second partial turn, and a straight exit section in that order, the straight entry section and the straight exit section each being shorter than the complete straight sections, the partial turns each forming an effective angle of greater than 90 degrees and less than 180 degrees, the complete turns each forming effective angles of greater than 0 degrees and less than 90 degrees and each including a primary region and two secondary regions curving in a direction opposite the primary region, the channel having a substantially semi-circular cross section with a diameter of between 0.06 inches and 0.16 inches and an effective length of between 12 inches and 16 inches for receiving an enteral feeding tube having an outer surface, a first end for receiving feeding fluid from a storage device, and a second end for administering the feeding fluid to a patient at a fluid flow rate of between approximately 0.25 milliliters per minute and approximately 1 milliliter per minute, the channel being configured to contact the enteral feeding tube at least 180 degrees around the outer surface of the enteral feeding tube without an air gap between the channel and the enteral feeding tube so that heat is transferred directly from the warming device to the enteral feeding tube, the primary region and the two secondary regions being cooperatively configured to retain the enteral feeding tube in the channel;

a silicone pad heating element positioned within the internal heating chamber of the first housing section and configured to heat the channel for warming the feeding fluid in the enteral feeding tube;

a thermistor temperature sensor for sensing an internal temperature of the enteral feeding warming device;

a power switch for turning on and turning off the enteral feeding warming device;

a controller for controlling operation of the heating element based on the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor such that the feeding fluid administered from the second end of the feeding tube is warmed to a temperature between 90 degrees and 103 degrees Fahrenheit;

a heat spreader positioned within the internal heating chamber of the first housing section for uniformly spreading heat from the heating element so that the heating element does not warm air in the housing to a temperature greater than 103 degrees Fahrenheit so that the fluid is gradually warmed through the entire length of the channel; and

a display configured to indicate the internal temperature of the enteral feeding warming device and information related to operation of the enteral feeding warming device, the information including;

a power status, a heating status, a ready status, an error, a warning, a time, a time counter, and a user instruction.