Ultrasonic percutaneous enteral feeding tube

Abstract

Among other things, a gastrostomy tube including a feeding tube that spans between an outer retention device and an inner retention device is disclosed. Embodiments of the inner retention device include an ultrasonic marker positioned within the inner retention device. The inner retention device and the ultrasonic marker have a variety of shapes or embodiments. The ultrasonic marker positioned in the inner retention device eliminates or reduces the use of fluoroscopy or endoscopy to position and later verify the location of the gastrostomy tube in a patient. Beneficially, the health risks associated with fluoroscopy and endoscopy are thereby eliminated or reduced with their associated disuse thereof. Moreover, the use of expensive hospital suites or operating rooms is eliminated or reduced with the use of portable ultrasound equipment that can be transported to a patient's bedside for verification of the location of the ultrasonic marker.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.