Bolus for non-occluding high flow enteral feeding tube

• US 6,878,143 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2002
• Issued: 04/12/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Avent Incorporated (Avanos Medical, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Corpak LLC
• Inventors: Andersen, Erik
• Primary Examiner(s): Demon, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chang, Ching
• Application Number:
  US10/315,742
• Publication Number:
  US 20030088206A1
• Time in Patent Office: 855 Days
• Field of Search: 604/264, 604/268, 604/270, 604/516, 604/910
• US Class Current: 604/270
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 15/00 Feeding-tubes for therapeutic purposes
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 15/0007 inserted by using a guide-wire guide wires A61M25/09
• 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 2025/0073 Tip designed for influencing the flow or the flow velocity of the fluid, e.g. inserts for twisted or vortex flow general flow characteristics A61M2206/10
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0068 Static characteristics of the catheter tip, e.g. shape, atraumatic tip, curved tip or tip structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0069 Tip not integral with tube
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/007 Side holes, e.g. their profiles or arrangements; Provisions to keep side holes unblocked

Abstract

The present invention is a bolus for an enteral feeding tube, or catheter, that is capable of being used in an over-the-wire intubation procedure as well as other intubation procedures. The bolus has a generally tubular body defining a sidewall, a proximal end tube opening capable of being connected to a distal end of the enteral feeding tube, and a generally rounded terminal end having a flattened tip. The bolus includes a fluid opening within the sidewall of the bolus between the proximal end opening and the terminal end of the bolus. An interior surface of the sidewall opposite the fluid opening is curved and slopes upwardly toward a distal end of the fluid opening. The curved interior surface and the fluid opening configuration allows for fluid flow that approximates the fluid flow rate characteristics of an open-ended tube. The fluid opening is biased toward the terminal end of the bolus thereby defining an elongated collar portion adjacent the proximal end tube opening of the bolus. The terminal end of the bolus has an aperture therethrough that forms a stylet passage in communication with the fluid opening. The stylet passage is sized to allow a stylet to pass therethrough when the tube is used in an over-the-wire intubation procedure.

Claims

1. A tip for a catheter, the tip comprising:

a first section including a collar that defines an opening, the collar having;

(a) a length;

(b) a first end and a second end, the first end connectable to the catheter; and

(c) a bottom wall, a top wall and a plurality of side walls positioned between the first and second ends, the side walls connecting the top wall to the bottom wall;

a second section including an end member having;

(a) a length that is less than the length of the collar;

(b) a first end and a second end, the second end being partially rounded; and

(c) a bottom wall, a top wall and a plurality of side walls positioned between said first and second ends, said side walls connecting said top wall to said another bottom wall; and

a third section positioned between the first and second sections, the third section including another bottom wall and a plurality of lowered side walls, said bottom wall and the lowered side walls being connected to the collar and the end member, a portion of the lowered side walls and a portion of the top walls of both the collar and the end member defining another opening having an elongated shape, said opening positioned between the second end of the collar and the first end of the end member.

2. The tip of claim 1, wherein a portion of the other bottom wall includes a sloped interior surface.

3. The tip of claim 1, wherein a portion of the other bottom wall includes an arc-shaped interior surface.

4. A catheter tip for a catheter, the catheter tip comprising:

a first section including a collar that defines an opening, the collar having;

(a) a length;

(b) a first end and a second end, the first end connectable to the catheter; and

(c) a bottom wall, a top wall and a plurality of side walls positioned between the first and second ends, the side walls connecting the top wall to the bottom wall;

a second section including an end member having;

(a) a length that is less than the length of the collar;

(b) a first end and a second end, the second end being partially rounded; and

(c) a bottom wall, a top wall and a plurality of side walls positioned between said first and second ends, said side walls connecting said top wall to said another bottom wall; and

a third section positioned between the first and second sections, the third section including another bottom wall and a plurality of lowered side walls, said bottom wall and the lowered side walls being connected to the collar and the end member, a portion of the lowered side walls and a portion of the top walls of both the collar and the end member defining another opening having a center and an elongated shape, the center of said opening being positioned closer to the first end of the end member than the second end of the collar, said positioning of said opening decreasing a likelihood that the collar will bend during use of the catheter tip.

5. The catheter tip of claim 4, wherein a portion of the other bottom wall includes a sloped interior surface.

6. The catheter tip of claim 4, wherein a portion of the other bottom wall includes an arc-shaped interior surface.