Inventors:
Martin J. Winkler - Omaha NE
Christine Decaria - Los Altos CA
International Classification:
A61M 3100, A61M 5178
Abstract:
A transpyloric jejunostomy cannulating apparatus includes an abdominal wall trocar having an elongated shaft and a sharpened tapered end for passage through a patient's abdominal wall. A tubular sheath is telescopically slidable onto the trocar for passage through the abdominal wall with it. An elongated generally tubular gastrostomy introducer has one end adapted for connection to a suction source and a free end portion tapering toward a free end of reduced width for insertion through the gastric wall into the lumen of a stomach. The introducer has an inlet opening adjacent the free end for aspirating the stomach. An elongated slotted cannulator, generally c-shaped in cross section, has an external width for passage through the sheath and an internal width to accommodate passage of the introducer therethrough. The cannulator may be manipulated through the pylorus for directing an elongated flexible feed tube previously inserted through the sheath in the abdominal wall, through the gastric wall, pylorus and duodenum into the jejunum beyond the ligament of Treitz.