Polyurethane feeding tube and associated adaptors

Abstract

Feeding tube assembly includes a feeding tube made of a polyurethane, preferably Carbothane, and a feeding tube adaptor including at least an inlet conduit and an outlet conduit. In one aspect, the feeding tube adaptor is made of a substantially rigid material, and the exterior surface of the outlet conduit defines a retention member to engage an interior surface at a first end portion of the feeding tube when the outlet end of the outlet conduit is inserted within a lumen defined in the feeding tube. In accordance with another aspect, the tube adaptor is provided with a removable cap to close selectively the inlet conduit, and both the inlet conduit and the cap are made of polyurethane. The cap has an engagement surface to engage a corresponding surface of the first inlet conduit, wherein the engagement surface of the cap has a surface configuration different than that of the corresponding surface of the first inlet conduit. This difference in surface configurations can be established by providing one or both of the surfaces with a series of protuberances, a series of indentations, a different cross-sectional shape, or a combination thereof.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A feeding tube adaptor comprising: 
 a first inlet conduit; and    an outlet conduit in fluid communication with the first inlet conduit, the outlet conduit constructed for fluid connection to a first end portion of a feeding tube, the outlet conduit having an exterior surface and an outlet end;    the exterior surface of the outlet conduit defining a retention member, the retention member including a first section having an exterior peripheral dimension increasing with increasing distance from the outlet end of the outlet conduit, the retention member further including a second section having an exterior peripheral dimension decreasing with increasing distance from the outlet end of the outlet conduit.    
     
     
         2 . A feeding tube adaptor according to  claim 1 , further including a second inlet conduit in fluid communication with the first inlet conduit and the outlet conduit.  
     
     
         3 . A feeding tube adaptor according to  claim 1 , wherein the second section of the retention member is positioned adjacent the first section of the retention member.  
     
     
         4 . A feeding tube assembly comprising: 
 a feeding tube made of polyurethane, the feeding tube having a first end portion, a second end portion opposite the first end portion, and at least one lumen defined therein extending between the first end portion and the second end portion; and    a feeding tube adaptor including a first inlet conduit and an outlet conduit in fluid communication with the first inlet conduit, the outlet conduit having an outlet end to be inserted into the at least one lumen at the first end portion of the feeding tube for fluid communication therebetween, the outlet conduit further having an exterior surface defining a retention member to engage an interior surface at the first end portion of the feeding tube when the outlet end of the outlet conduit is inserted within the at least one lumen of the feeding tube.    
     
     
         5 . A feeding tube assembly according to  claim 4 , wherein the retention member defined by the exterior surface of the outlet conduit includes a first section having an exterior peripheral dimension increasing with increasing distance from the outlet end of the outlet conduit, the retention member further including a second section spaced further from the outlet end than the first section and having an exterior peripheral dimension decreasing with increasing distance from the outlet end of the outlet conduit.  
     
     
         6 . A feeding tube assembly according to  claim 5 , wherein the second section of the retention member is positioned adjacent the first section of the retention member.  
     
     
         7 . A feeding tube assembly according to  claim 4 , wherein the feeding tube adaptor is made of a substantially rigid material.  
     
     
         8 . A feeding tube assembly according to  claim 4 , wherein the feeding tube adaptor further includes a second inlet conduit in fluid communication with the first inlet conduit and the outlet conduit.  
     
     
         9 . A feeding tube assembly according to  claim 4 , wherein the feeding tube is made of a Carbothane-like; material.  
     
     
         10 . A feeding tube assembly comprising: 
 a feeding tube adaptor made of polyurethane, the feeding tube adaptor including a first inlet conduit having an inlet port, the feeding tube adaptor also including an outlet conduit for fluid communication with an inlet conduit of a feeding tube; and    a cap made of polyurethane removably attached to close selectively the inlet port of the first inlet conduit, the cap having an engagement surface to engage a corresponding surface of the first inlet conduit, the engagement surface of the cap having a surface configuration different than that of the corresponding surface of the first inlet conduit.    
     
     
         11 . A feeding tube assembly according to  claim 10 , wherein the cap is permanently connected to the feeding tube adaptor.  
     
     
         12 . A feeding tube assembly according to  claim 10 , wherein the port of the inlet conduit is defined by an interior surface and the cap includes a plug to be inserted into the port, the engaging surface of the cap being an exterior surface of the plug and the corresponding surface being the interior surface of the inlet conduit.  
     
     
         13 . A feeding tube assembly according to  claim 10 , wherein the cap includes a peripheral flange, the engaging surface of the cap being an interior surface of the peripheral flange and the corresponding surface being an exterior surface of the inlet conduit.  
     
     
         14 . A feeding tube assembly according to  claim 10 , wherein at least one of the engagement surface and the corresponding surface is provided with a series of protuberances.  
     
     
         15 . A feeding tube assembly according to  claim 10 , wherein at least one of the engagement surface and the corresponding surface is provided with a series of indents.  
     
     
         16 . A feeding tube assembly according to  claim 10 , wherein the engagement surface of the cap defines a cross-sectional shape different than that of the corresponding surface of the first inlet conduit.  
     
     
         17 . A feeding tube assembly according to  claim 10 , further comprising a feeding tube having a first end portion, a second end portion opposite the first end portion, and at least one lumen defined therein extending between the first end portion and the second end portion; the outlet conduit of the feeding tube adaptor connected in fluid communication with the first end portion of the feeding tube.  
     
     
         18 . A feeding tube assembly according to  claim 17 , wherein the feeding tube is made of a Carbothanel-like material.  
     
     
         19 . A feeding tube assembly according to  claim 17 , further comprising a retaining member attached to the second end portion of the feeding tube.  
     
     
         20 . A feeding tube assembly according to  claim 19 , wherein the retaining member is made of an Estane-like material.