Enteral feeding apparatus and method

Claim 1

A system for introducing fluid material into a preselected area of the gastro-intestinal tract of a patient, and characterized by: an elongated flexible tube, said tube having a substantially axial lumen through which fluid can flow, a proximal end and a distal end, and having perforations therethrough along a preselected portion of the distal end of said tube, said perforations communicating from said lumen to the outside of said tube; means for introducing said fluid into said elongated flexible tube; pH measuring means positioned on said tube proximate to said distal end, for generating a signal representative of the pH of the body fluid adjacent to said distal end; and position means operatively connected to said pH measuring means for monitoring said adjacent pH signed and for determining the position of said distal end as a function of said monitored pH.

Claim 2

A system for introducing fluid material into a preselected area of the gastro-intestinal tract of a patient, and characterized by: an elongated flexible tube, said tube having a substantially axial lumen through which fluid can flow, a proximal end and a distal end, and having perforations therethrough along a preselected portion of the distal end of said tube, said perforations communicating from said lumen to the outside of said tube; means for introducing said fluid into said elongated flexible tube; pH measuring means positioned on said tube proximate to said distal end, for generating a signal representative of the pH of the body fluid adjacent to said distal end; and position means operatively connected to said pH measuring means for monitoring said adjacent pH signed and for determining the position of said distal end as a function of said monitored pH.

Claim 8

A system for introducing a fluid into the duodenum of a patient comprising: an elongated flexible tube having a proximal end and a distal end, said tube having a lumen therethrough for passing said fluid to about said distal end; port means at about the distal end of said tube for passing fluid through to the outside of said tube; pH measuring means integrally mounted at about the distal end of said tube for generating a pH signal representative of the pH of the body fluid in the area of said distal end; conductor means for providing electrical conduction between said pH measuring means and the proximal end of said tube; means connected to said conductor means at about the proximal end of said tube for receiving said pH signal and for providing therefrom an indication of the position of the distal end of said tube relative to the patient's duodenum; and means for introducing fluid into said tube at about the proximal end thereof.

Claim 9

A system for introducing a fluid into the duodenum of a patient comprising: an elongated flexible tube having a proximal end and a distal end, said tube having a lumen therethrough for passing said fluid to about said distal end; port means at about the distal end of said tube for passing fluid through to the outside of said tube; pH measuring means integrally mounted at about the distal end of said tube for generating a pH signal representative of the pH of the body fluid in the area of said distal end; conductor means for providing electrical conduction between said pH measuring means and the proximal end of said tube; means connected to said conductor means at about the proximal end of said tube for receiving said pH signal and for providing therefrom an indication of the position of the distal end of said tube relative to the patient's duodenum; and means for introducing fluid into said tube at about the proximal end thereof.

Claim 10

A system for enteric feeding into the duodenum of a patient comprising: an elongated flexible tube having proximal and distal ends, said tube having a substantially axial lumen therethrough for passing fluid material, and perforations formed along the distal end of said tube for passing said fluid material through to the duodenum of a patient; an electrode integrally mounted to about the distal end of said tube and capable of measuring the pH of the body fluid adjacent to said electrode; conductor means for transmitting a signal from said electrode to an external pH monitoring device; a pH monitoring device connected to said conductor means at about the proximal end of said tube, and comprising a pH meter and means for comparing a value from said pH meter to a preselected limit to determine the position of the distal end as a function of pH; means for introducing fluid material into the proximal end of said tube; control means for generating a signal based upon the position determination; and means for terminating the introduction of fluid material into said proximal end of said tube upon the receipt of a signal from said control means, said signal indicating said tube is out of said duodenum.

Claim 11

A system for enteric feeding into the duodenum of a patient comprising: an elongated flexible tube having proximal and distal ends, said tube having a substantially axial lumen therethrough for passing fluid material, and perforations formed along the distal end of said tube for passing said fluid material through to the duodenum of a patient; an electrode integrally mounted to about the distal end of said tube and capable of measuring the pH of the body fluid adjacent to said electrode; conductor means for transmitting a signal from said electrode to an external pH monitoring device; a pH monitoring device connected to said conductor means at about the proximal end of said tube, and comprising a pH meter and means for comparing a value from said pH meter to a preselected limit to determine the position of the distal end as a function of pH; means for introducing fluid material into the proximal end of said tube; control means for generating a signal based upon the position determination; and means for terminating the introduction of fluid material into said proximal end of said tube upon the receipt of a signal from said control means, said signal indicating said tube is out of said duodenum.

Claim 14

A method for introducing a fluid into a patient's duodenum, said method utilizing an elongated flexible tube having means for communicating fluid from a proximal end to and out of a distal end thereof, having a sensor means for sensing pH in the area of said distal end, and providing a signal representative of sensed pH at about said proximal end, the method comprising: passing said tube through the gastrointestinal tract of said patient until said distal end is positioned in the patient's duodenum; sensing a pH signal with said sensor means in the area of said distal end; monitoring the pH in the area of the distal end of said tube by comparing said sensed pH signal with a reference value; determining when said distal end is and is not in said duodenum on the basis of said comparing; and introducing said fluid through said tube into said duodenum upon a determination that said distal end is in said duodenum.

Claim 15

A method for introducing a fluid into a patient's duodenum, said method utilizing an elongated flexible tube having means for communicating fluid from a proximal end to and out of a distal end thereof, having a sensor means for sensing pH in the area of said distal end, and providing a signal representative of sensed pH at about said proximal end, the method comprising: passing said tube through the gastrointestinal tract of said patient until said distal end is positioned in the patient's duodenum; sensing a pH signal with said sensor means in the area of said distal end; monitoring the pH in the area of the distal end of said tube by comparing said sensed pH signal with a reference value; determining when said distal end is and is not in said duodenum on the basis of said comparing; and introducing said fluid through said tube into said duodenum upon a determination that said distal end is in said duodenum.

Claim 19

A system for introducing a fluid into the duodenum of a patient comprising: an elongated flexible tube having proximal and distal ends, said tube having a lumen therethrough for passing said fluid to about said distal end; port means at about said distal end for passing fluid through to the outside of said tube; pH measuring means integrally mounted on said tube proximal to said port means for generating a pH signal representative of the pH of the body fluid in the area of said port means; conductor means for providing electrical conduction between said pH measuring means and the proximal end of said tube; means connected to said conductor means at about the proximal end of said tube for receiving said pH signal and for providing therefrom an indication of the position of said pH measuring means; and means for introducing fluid into said tube at about the proximal end thereof.

Claim 20

A system for introducing a fluid into the duodenum of a patient comprising: an elongated flexible tube having proximal and distal ends, said tube having a lumen therethrough for passing said fluid to about said distal end; port means at about said distal end for passing fluid through to the outside of said tube; pH measuring means integrally mounted on said tube proximal to said port means for generating a pH signal representative of the pH of the body fluid in the area of said port means; conductor means for providing electrical conduction between said pH measuring means and the proximal end of said tube; means connected to said conductor means at about the proximal end of said tube for receiving said pH signal and for providing therefrom an indication of the position of said pH measuring means; and means for introducing fluid into said tube at about the proximal end thereof.