TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates generally to the field of enteral feeding and nutritional delivery, and more particularly to systems and methods for introducing healthy bacteria during enteral feeding and nutritional delivery.

BACKGROUND

The occurrence of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in neonates and premature infants has been and remains to be a devastating problem. Commonly, neonates can have or develop immunodeficiencies where minimal (if any) “healthy” gut microbiota exists, for example because such babies were delivered through c-section and so did not benefit from the introduction of gut bacterial through the birthing process and/or an initial feeding from the mother. It is difficult for these immunocompromised patients to fight infections that can originate in the gut when pathogenic bacteria exist and is potentially limiting the influence of the good/healthy bacteria that the gut needs as part of the body's immune system. One study shows that around 10 percent of infants born under 1500 g will develop NEC, and mortality remains as high as 30 percent for the infants that develop NEC. Accordingly, it can be seen that needs exist for systems and methods to substantially eliminate (if not entirely prevent) the development of NEC in infants (especially premature infants). It is to the provision of systems and methods for biofilm inoculation meeting these and other needs that the present invention is primarily directed.

SUMMARY

In example embodiments, the present invention provides systems and methods for biofilm inoculation.

In one aspect, the present invention relates to a feeding tube for enteral delivery having a distal end for insertion in the gut of a patient. In example embodiments, the distal end has an outer surface, an inner surface and an end surface, and wherein at least a portion of the distal end includes a biofilm. In example embodiments, the biofilm can be colostrum, breast milk and/or one or more probiotics.

In another aspect, the invention relates to a method of biofilm inoculation including providing a feeding tube; providing a quantity of colostrum or breast milk; coating or otherwise providing at least a portion of the quantity of colostrum or breast milk on at least a portion of the feeding tube; and placing at least a portion of the feeding tube in the gut of a patient. In example embodiments, the colostrum or breast milk is coated or otherwise provided on a distal end of the feeding tube, and the distal end of the feeding tube is placed in the gut of the patient.

In another aspect, the invention relates to a method for limiting the formation of pathogenic bacteria in the gut of neonatal patients. The method includes adhering a layer of pathogenically beneficial material to an insertion end of a feeding tube; inserting the insertion end of the feeding tube into the gut of a neonatal patient, the gut of the neonatal patient containing a volume of fluid; and dispersing the layer of pathogenically beneficial material from the insertion end of the feeding tube and into the volume of fluid contained within the gut of the neonatal patient.

These and other aspects, features and advantages of the invention will be understood with reference to the drawing figures and detailed description herein, and will be realized by means of the various elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following brief description of the drawings and detailed description of example embodiments are explanatory of example embodiments of the invention, and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed.

