A balloon catheter system includes a tube and a dilator detachable from the tube after the tube is inserted into a cavity in the patient. The cavity may be filled with gas or liquid to expand the viscera surrounding the cavity and the guidewire may be inserted using a trochar, for example. The tube includes one or more lumen to expandable balloons that are inflatable by fluid inserted through the lumen and into the balloon or balloons, which are formed by elastic film sealed on opposite ends to the external diameter of the tube. The dilator is held in place during insertion, such as by a stainless steel shaft and a sheath portion of the dilator extending over the end of the tube being inserted into the cavity. A portion of the sheath may extend over and protect the balloon. A retractor net may be used to capture and remove the dilator or the dilator may be designed as a bioabsorbable or digestible material or of a material that passes safely through the digestive tract of a patient.

In some embodiments a PEG feeding device includes a tube sized to bridge a channel between a stomach and an outer abdominal surface; an internal bolster, and an external bolster. Optionally the bolsters are connected to the tube. The internal bolster may be sized to resist movement out of the stomach through the stoma. The external bolster may be sized to resist movement into the stoma from the outer abdominal surface. The external bolster may include an underside which extends from the tube in a radial direction between the external bolster and the outer abdominal surface. The underside of the outer bolster may contact the outer abdominal surface at a distance from an external opening of the stoma. Optionally the distance between the internal bolster and the external bolster is adjustable. Optionally an angle between one or both of the bolsters and the tube is adjustable.

The present disclosure provides a device that includes a tube having a first end and a second end. The device also includes a stopper coupled to a surface of the tube adjacent to the second end of the tube. The stopper is configured to extend radially from the surface of the tube. The device also includes a first rib coupled to the surface of the tube. The device also includes a second rib coupled to the surface of the tube. The first rib and the second rib are positioned opposite one another on the surface of the tube between the first end of the tube and the stopper.

The invention relates to a PEG probe having a PEG tube, an outer holding plate, through which the PEG tube is fed and in which the PEG tube is fastened, and a funnel adapter, which is associated with an outer end region of the PEG tube. A tightly closing valve is arranged either in the PEG tube between the outer holding plate and the outer end region or on the outer end region of the PEG tube. The valve blocks the flow through the PEG tube in a closed position and allows said flow at least in the full cross-section of the PEG tube in an open position. The valve has a valve body and a valve housing. The valve body is connected to and movable by means of a handle accessible from outside. The valve body is supported in the valve housing.

Disclosed is a system and method for the placement of elongate medical members within a patients body using coaptive ultrasound. In a particularly preferred embodiment, a flexible tube includes a first balloon at a distal end of the tube, and a second balloon at the distal end of the tube and positioned within the first balloon. The first and second balloons are inflatable to form one or more echogenic windows between them, which echogenic window may be detected from within a patient's body by an ultrasound probe that is external to the patient's body. Detection of such echogenic window is used to identify an acceptable location on the patient's body at which to insert a guidewire configured to receive an elongate medical member without damage to surrounding patient tissues or organs.

An appliance (1) for enteral nutrition by means of a probe of the type comprising a tubular element of elongated shape and substantially flexible which defines a feeding channel open at the extremities for the introduction of nutritional substances in the stomach of a patient and which comprises at least a first inflatable balloon for detecting the pressure inside the oesophagus of a patient, the tubular element comprising at least a first inlet/outlet mouth for the air in/from the first balloon, the appliance (1) further comprising: at least a pneumatic circuit (3) having pumping means (4) associable at least with the first inlet/outlet mouth for inflating/deflating the first balloon; processing means (8) comprising: detection means which can be connected to the first balloon to detect the patient's oesophageal pressure (p.sub.es); reading means of the pressure of the respiratory tract (p.sub.aw) which can be connected to an external detection device; calculation means operatively connected to the detection means and to the reading means and able to calculate at least the transpulmonary pressure (p.sub.tp); graphic display means (10) operatively connected to the processing means (8) and able to display at least one of the oesophageal pressure (p.sub.es), the pressure of the respiratory tract (p.sub.aw) and the transpulmonary pressure (p.sub.tp).

A medical check valve includes a main body with an inlet and an outlet. A poppet valve base in the main body may include a first conduit to enable fluid flow between the inlet and the outlet in a normal operating position and a second conduit to enable fluid flow between the outlet and a top portion of the poppet valve base in a bypass operating position. A poppet cap with a neck portion inserted into the poppet valve base may be moved between an open position and a closed position. In the open position, fluid flow is permitted into an aperture in the cap, e.g., via a syringe, in the bypass operating position such that the fluid in the syringe is delivered to the outlet. In the closed position, and fluid flow is disabled, preventing possible splash back events.

A stomal dilator comprising a proximal end; a distal end; a tapered dilation portion positioned between the proximal end and distal end having a first length and a varied diameter that progressively increases in size from the proximal end to the distal end; the proximal end including a filiform tip having a substantially constant diameter at second length, and the distal end including a handle portion having a substantially constant diameter third length; and a flange positioned on the distal end preventing the stomal dilator from entering into a patient.

Skin port connectors for use as part of a percutaneous gastrostomy tube assembly and methods for connecting such a device to such an assembly are disclosed.

Gastric and intestinal feeding tube devices and methods can be enhanced to provide better patient outcomes. For example, this document provides gastric and intestinal feeding tube devices that include an external bumper with pressure sensors and pressure indicators that facilitate usage of the feeding tube devices within an appropriate range of skin surface pressure. This document also provides external bumpers with deflectable elements that facilitate the application of a controlled amount of force between the external bumpers and the skin surface.