A magnetic coupling to improve placement of gastroenteral feeding tubes

Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy (PEG) is a non operative endoscopic technique to place a transabdominal (from outside the abdomen through the gastric wall and into the stomach) gastric feeding tube. It is the preferred method of eneteral feeding in patients who would otherwise have inadequate nutritional intake due to a number of underlying illnesses. During the PEG procedure, the feeding tube can deviate from its intended path, perforate organs and surrounding tissues leading to complications. We propose a novel technique to alleviate or eliminate these concerns using magnetic coupling. This technique forces the tube to pass through a specified path, compressing tissues between the gastric and abdominal walls such that the tube cannot deviate from its intended path. This modified PEG procedure could secure a safer tract for insertion, decrease procedural time and limit user variability, with hypothesised benefits including shorter procedural times and lower complication rates. The magnetic coupling mechanism has been modelled using analytical tools with experimental validation. The approach has been demonstrated in a bench-top anatomical model and may be of use in applications beyond the PEG procedure including endoscopic instrument positioning on the gastric wall.