Gastroenteric feeding tube
First Claim
1. A gastroenteric feeding tube comprising an elongated tubular shaft having distal and proximal ends and having a longitudinally extending lumen therethrough, an enlarged intermediate portion which extends from the distal end of said shaft, and a weighted bolus which extends from said intermediate portion, said intermediate portion having at least one side aperture therein which communicates with said shaft lumen, said bolus being sufficiently flexible to permit the passage thereof through a nostril of a patient during the installation of said tube in said patient, said shaft having an imperforate side wall, said shaft having a sectional dimension of between 0.080 and 0.160 inches, and a wall thickness of between 0.015 and 0.035 inches, said lumen having a sectional dimension of at least 0.05 inches, said shaft being made of a material having an A Durometer Scale hardness of between 60 and 100, said intermediate portion being at least as rigid as said shaft, whereby said shaft and said intermediate portion are sufficiently flexible to permit the passage thereof through said nostril during the installation of said tube in said patient, but nevertheless sufficiently rigid to permit the installation of said tube in said patient without the use of a stylet.
12 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A gastroenteric feeding tube comprises a tubular shaft having distal and proximal ends, an enlarged intermediate portion which extends from the distal end of the shaft, and a weighted bolus which extends from the intermediate portion. The shaft has an imperforate sidewall and a side aperture in the intermediate portion communicates with the interior of the shaft for dispensing a feeding formula from the tube. The feeding tube is constructed so that it is sufficiently flexible to permit the passage thereof through a nostril of a patient during intubation of the tube, but nevertheless sufficiently rigid to permit the intubation of the tube without the use of a stylet therein.
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Citations
6 Claims
- 1. A gastroenteric feeding tube comprising an elongated tubular shaft having distal and proximal ends and having a longitudinally extending lumen therethrough, an enlarged intermediate portion which extends from the distal end of said shaft, and a weighted bolus which extends from said intermediate portion, said intermediate portion having at least one side aperture therein which communicates with said shaft lumen, said bolus being sufficiently flexible to permit the passage thereof through a nostril of a patient during the installation of said tube in said patient, said shaft having an imperforate side wall, said shaft having a sectional dimension of between 0.080 and 0.160 inches, and a wall thickness of between 0.015 and 0.035 inches, said lumen having a sectional dimension of at least 0.05 inches, said shaft being made of a material having an A Durometer Scale hardness of between 60 and 100, said intermediate portion being at least as rigid as said shaft, whereby said shaft and said intermediate portion are sufficiently flexible to permit the passage thereof through said nostril during the installation of said tube in said patient, but nevertheless sufficiently rigid to permit the installation of said tube in said patient without the use of a stylet.
Specification