Gastrostomy tube

• US 3,915,171 A
• Filed: 06/06/1974
• Issued: 10/28/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bonny Kenneth, Mentor Corporation (Johnson & Johnson), Stephen B. Paige
• Original Assignee: Dennis William Shermeta
• Inventors: Shermeta, Dennis William
• Primary Examiner(s): Gaudet, Richard A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Opitz, Rick
• Application Number:
  US05/476,934
• Time in Patent Office: 509 Days
• Field of Search: 128/1,341,343,344,348-351,DIG.25,240-246,283,347
• US Class Current: 604/101.05
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 15/0015 Gastrostomy feeding-tubes insertion tools or methods A61B17/34
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 15/0038 expandable, e.g. umbrella type
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 15/0042 inflatable
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 15/0065 Fixing means and tube being one part
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0233 specifically adapted for attaching to a body wall by means which are on both sides of the wall, e.g. for attaching to an abdominal wall
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/005 with embedded materials for reinforcement, e.g. wires, coils, braids
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/04 in the body, e.g. expansible A61M25/10, A61M16/0488 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/1009 Balloons anchored to a disc or plate
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/1011 Multiple balloon catheters

Abstract

A gastrostomy tube for insertion into the stomach and for retention as a consequence of bearing engagement against the inside stomach wall and the outside abdominal wall. A conduit carries a stiffly flexible retention bulb which can be collapsed by a stylet for insertion through a stab wound through the stomach. In the stomach the bulb resumes its normal shape when the stylet is withdrawn and then can be pulled against the stomach wall. A second retention bulb is inflatable and spaced apart from the first retention bulb to engage the outer abdominal wall when it is inflated.

Claims

1. A gastrostomy tube comprising:

a tubular conduit to be passed through the abdominal wall and through the wall of the stomach, said conduit having an axis of fluid flow and an axial bore, and a first end and a second end spaced apart from one another along said axis;

first closure means spaced from the second end adapted to close the conduit to the flow of fluid or to leave it open thereto, whereby when the conduit passes through said wall and the conduit is open, fluid can be supplied to or removed from the stomach through said bore, and when the conduit is closed, fluid can be retained in the stomach;

a first retention bulb attached to the conduit adjacent to said second end and having a greater lateral dimension than the conduit so as to bear against the wall of the stomach and resist the pull-out of the conduit from the stomach, the first retention bulb being stiffly flexible whereby to tend to retain its shape, the first retention bulb comprising a first face section facing toward said first end of the conduit, a second face section facing away from said first end, a medial section interconnecting the said two face sections, the first face section being connected to said conduit and the second face section being attached to the conduit only through the medial section and the first face section, the wall thickness of the two face sections being relatively less than that of at least a portion of the medial section, whereby the medial section forms a spring-like structure which tends to restore the first retention bulb to its undistorted shape, an internal chamber being formed within said sections, an aperture through said first retention bulb other than through the first face section communicating with said internaL chamber to provide fluid communication through the chamber between the stomach and the bore, the first face section including an outer smooth and continuous surface of revolution lying substantially normal to the said axis;

a second retention bulb attached to and surrounding said conduit at a location axially spaced apart from the first retention bulb, said second retention bulb being made of flexible fluid-impermeable material whereby it is inflatable by fluid under pressure to form a peripheral ring which has a greater lateral dimension than the conduit and which tends to retain its shape around the conduit and to bear against the outside of the abdominal wall whereby to retain said walls between the two retention bulbs and to attach the gastrostomy tube thereto and to form a fluid-tight seal;

fluid passage means entering the second retention bulb to supply fluid under pressure to inflate the same; and

second closure means in said fluid passage means adapted to close the fluid passage means or to leave it open to the flow of fluid, whereby fluid under pressure can be injected through the fluid passage into the second retention bulb to inflate said second retention bulb and the second closure means can be closed to maintain the inflation.

2. A gastrostomy tube according to claim 1 in which a spring extends axially along the conduit to reinforce it and resist its collapse.

3. A gastrostomy tube according to claim 1 in which a central recess is formed in the undistorted first retention bulb to center a stylet inserted into the chamber through the conduit.

4. A gastrostomy tube according to claim 3 in which the first retention bulb is formed as a body of revolution around said axis, which body is continuous except for said aperture.