Abstract
Tube patency is essential for patients who receive enteral nutrition via a small-bore nasoenteral feeding tube. Formation of a clog within these tubes interrupts and delays delivery of nutrition. Unfortunately, current tubes are prone to clogging. A small-bore nasoenteral feeding tube design is proposed with a gradually increasing diameter over its length, which could mitigate clog issues. Small-bore feeding tubes that increase in diameter over their length were evaluated relative to constant diameter tubes to determine if a tapered tube design could reduce the pressure required to clear an established clog in benchtop testing at pressures representative of those achieved safely in the clinical environment. Incorporating a tapered design into an 8 Fr nasal feeding tube significantly reduced the pressure to expel an established clog by 62% (p < 0.05; 279.2 kPa versus 710.8 kPa, respectively). When compared to constant diameter tubes with the same proximal outside diameter, a tapered tube design permits clearance of an established clog at lower pressure.
