Percutaneous gastrostomy feeding tubes are placed by making a puncture through the abdominal wall and into the stomach. This requires an operating room and all that that entails, including a surgeon, anesthesia, imaging equipment, and associated clinicians. Now a new system, made by CoapTech, a Baltimore, MD firm, has been cleared by the FDA that allows anyone practiced with point-of-care ultrasound to quickly and confidently place gastronomy tubes right at the patient’s bed.
The technology within the new PUMA-G system relies on a balloon catheter, delivered into the stomach via the esophagus, that can be attracted by a magnet. The balloon is made to be “grabbed” by an external magnet placed over the stomach. Once the two are attracted by each other, the balloon is filled with an echogenic fluid. Following, an ultrasound device is used to visualize the tissue between the skin and the balloon, allowing the clinician to spot any large vasculature, organs, or anything else that may be in the way.
Here’s an animation describing the procedure and how it’s different from the current standard of care:
Product page: PUMA-G System…
Via: CoapTech…