Controlled Bolus

Automatic bolus rinses are often prescribed by feeding pump manufacturers to clean and unclog feeding tubes, consuming valuable nursing time in trying to clear the obstruction and possibly leading to the need to reinsert the tube. Flushing a generic feeding tube with room temperature clean or sterile water may help to maintain the patency of the tube but can also increase the risk of reflux and aspiration. A bolus from a pump or syringe is also often used to provide patients with additional fluids or medication.

However, boluses, if not carefully administered over a period of time, have been linked to reflux events, which in turn, can cause gastric aspiration.

With smART+, if physicians determine that a patient’s fluid intake will need to be increased, the system will deliver and distribute these additional fluids evenly across several hours, eliminating the need for extra fluids via bolus. To maintain the integrity of the feeding tube, the system automatically flushes the tube with 5ml of water once per hour.

In addition, the smART+ Platform enables caregivers to easily administer a medication bolus via a syringe. This delivery method is intended to evenly distribute the medication to the patient, while aiming to minimize the risk of reflux