Abbott Laboratories Corporation

Kent E Iversen

William H Hirsch

Carl Joseph Piontek

Arthur A Dahl

Robert D Clegg

Ronald A Coules

Robert Scott Osborne

Ronald M Isaac

Patricia A Schneider

Gastrostomy tube

A replacement gastrostomy tube device is provided comprising a catheter shaft having an outer surface wall, with the shaft enclosing a feeding lumen of substantially circular cross-section and a fluid flow channel. A port housing is located at the proximal end of the shaft with the port housing having a main food inlet port, a Y-port and a fluid inlet port. Near the distal end of the tube are an expandable component member and a food outlet port, which port is preferably located at the distal end. The feeding lumen is of a greater diameter than that of the fluid flow channel. The outer surface wall is of a non-circular cross-section. The feeding lumen is of a circular cross-section which permits the passage therethrough of a jejunal tube. The main food inlet port is of a greater diameter than that associated with the Y-port. The method for using this device permits jejunal feeding through a replacement gastrostomy tube without retraumatizing the patient.

Method of jejunal feeding

A gastrostomy tube has a retaining element which has a generally triangular shape with rounded vertices. The retaining element is made up of three resilient petaloid flanges which extend radially from the tubular portion of the gastrostomy tube. The petaloid flanges and the tubular portion are made of different materials. Substantially triangular connecting portions are interposed between and interconnect each pair of next adjacent petaloid flanges. The petaloid flanges are rendered less flexible than the connecting portions by either variations in thickness or materials between the petaloid flanges and connecting portions. The assembly of a gastrostomy tube and a tapered dilator is also disclosed.

Improved medical devices for use between a feeding tube set and a catheter include a universal adaptor having a configuration permitting use of same with Y-connectors of various sizes, a Y-connector interlockable with the aforesaid adaptor, and an adaptor hood usable with the adaptor either as a protective shroud therefor or as a supplemental adaptor therewith.

Medical device improvements for enteral feeding

A stoma measuring device is provided comprising a valve housing containing a valve, a lumen with a port located near its distal end, with the lumen having its proximal end secured to the valve housing, and an inflatable component member, with this member located near the distal end of the lumen, the member having a first end secured to the lumen intermediary the port and the valve housing. The lumen is relatively flexible and may be fabricated with a radiopaque filler. The method for using the device of this invention permits the measuring of the depth of a stoma by inserting the distal end of a lumen through the opening in the stomach, the lumen having a port near the distal end, the lumen also secured to the first end of an inflatable component member, the port being intermediary the first end and the distal end, the lumen also having indicia thereon, inflating the member and ascertaining the relative distance between the first end in the stomach and the outer layer of skin through the use of the indicia. Additional steps in the method may include keeping the member inflated by use of a valve until the distance is ascertained and deflating the member following ascertaining their distance so as to permit the lumen to be withdrawn through the stoma.

Growing community of inventors

Columbus, OH, United States of America

Kent E Iversen