Single lumen gastro-intestinal feeding-decompression tubes

Abstract

The present invention provides a single lumen gastro-intestinal tube for use in both delivering nutrition into the gastro-intestinal tract and aspirating excess materials from the gastro-intestinal tract. The single lumen tube may be delivered into the gastro-intestinal tract transnasally or surgically. The single lumen tube in accordance with the present invention includes a one-way valve which permits nutrition or other fluids to flow out of the tube and into the gastro-intestinal tract but which closes to prevent materials from being aspirated from the gastro-intestinal tract through the one-way valve. The single lumen tube also includes aspiration pores located proximately from the one-way valve. The aspiration pores perform the aspiration of air and excessive materials from the gastro-intestinal tract. Preferably, the aspiration pores are sized so as to filter any solids present in the gastro-intestinal tract from the aspirated material. A single lumen tube in accordance with the present invention may be used in alternating the delivery of nutritional or other materials to the gastro-intestinal tract and the aspiration of air and excessive material from the gastro-intestinal tract.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.