ENTERAL FEEDING WARMING SYSTEM

摘要

An enteral feeding warming system for warming enteral feeding fluid and delivering the feeding fluid to an infant or other patient comprises a pump, a warming device, and an enteral feeding tube. The pump may be connected to an enteral feeding fluid source. The warming device includes a housing, a heating element, a heat spreader, a temperature sensor, a controller, a display, a number of user inputs, and a power source. The housing includes outer walls defining an interior chamber and a feeding tube channel separate from the interior chamber. The interior chamber retains the heating element, heat spreader, temperature sensor, and controller therein. The feeding tube channel includes a number of turns and straight sections for increasing an effective length of the feeding tube channel and receives an intermediate portion of the enteral feeding tube therein.

主权项

1. An enteral feeding warming device comprising:
a housing having first and second mating clamshell housing sections connected by a hinge mechanism, the first housing section having exterior walls defining an internal heating chamber, each housing section having at least one complementary magnet for releasably retaining the housing sections in a closed configuration; a channel formed in one of the exterior walls of the first housing section, the channel having a straight entry section, a first partial turn, six complete straight sections and five complete turns alternating with each other to form a back-and-forth pattern, a second partial turn, and a straight exit section in that order, the straight entry section and the straight exit section each being shorter than the complete straight sections, the partial turns each forming an effective angle of greater than 90 degrees and less than 180 degrees, the complete turns each forming effective angles of greater than 0 degrees and less than 90 degrees and each including a primary region and two secondary regions curving in a direction opposite the primary region, the channel having a substantially semi-circular cross section with a diameter of between 0.06 inches and 0.16 inches and an effective length of between 12 inches and 16 inches for receiving an enteral feeding tube having an outer surface, a first end for receiving feeding fluid from a storage device, and a second end for administering the feeding fluid to a patient at a fluid flow rate of between approximately 0.25 milliliters per minute and approximately 1 milliliter per minute, the channel being configured to contact the enteral feeding tube at least 180 degrees around the outer surface of the enteral feeding tube without an air gap between the channel and the enteral feeding tube so that heat is transferred directly from the warming device to the enteral feeding tube, the primary region and the two secondary being cooperatively configured to retain the enteral feeding tube in the channel; a heating element positioned within the internal heating chamber of the first housing section and configured to heat the channel for warming the feeding fluid in the enteral feeding tube; a controller for controlling operation of the heating element such that the feeding fluid administered from the second end of the feeding tube is warmed to a temperature between 90 degrees and 103 degrees Fahrenheit; and a heat spreader positioned within the internal heating chamber of the first housing section for uniformly spreading heat from the heating element so that the heating element does not warm air in the housing to a temperature greater than 103 degrees Fahrenheit so that the fluid is gradually warmed through the entire length of the channel.