Systems and methods for dynamic control of enteral feeding according to energy expenditure

Inventors

Elia, Liron • Iddan, Gavriel J.

Assignees

Art Medical Ltd

Abstract

A computer-implemented method of adjusting enteral feeding of a patient by an enteral feeding controller, comprising: computing an estimate of energy expenditure of the patient based on oxygen measurements and carbon dioxide measurements of the patient, computing a target composition and target feeding rate for the enteral feeding according to the computed estimate of energy expenditure, when the target composition and target feeding rate differ from a current enteral feeding composition and feeding rate by a requirement, generating instructions for adjustment, by an enteral feeding controller, of the rate of delivery of the enteral feeding according to the target composition, wherein the receiving the oxygen measurement, receiving the carbon dioxide measurement, and computing the estimate of energy expenditure are performing iteratively for every first time interval, and the generating instructions for adjustment are performed for a second time interval that is larger than the first time interval.

Core Innovation

The disclosure addresses adjusting enteral feeding of a patient by using at least one processor to receive electronic signals of at least one of a carbon dioxide sensor and an oxygen sensor, where the at least one of the carbon dioxide sensor and the oxygen sensor senses at least one of inspiration and expiration of the patient. The processor also receives output of a flow sensor that senses at least one of inspiration and expiration of the patient.

Based on the signals of at least one of the carbon dioxide sensor and the oxygen sensor and the flow sensor, the processor computes energy expenditure of the patient. The processor then computes a target nutritional goal for the enteral feeding that provides 100% or near 100% of the computed energy expenditure of the patient irrespective of a predictive equation.

The processor monitors an enteral feeding of a target feeding formula at an initial feeding rate defined by the target nutritional goal, for detecting an adjustment of the initial feeding rate. The processor generates instructions for adjustment, by an enteral feeding controller, for delivery of the target feeding formula to compensate for the adjustment in the initial feeding rate, to reach the target nutritional goal, and provides the generated instructions to the enteral feeding controller to deliver enteral feedings via an enteral feeding tube from at least one feed inlet of at least one feeding tube according to the compensation for the adjustment.

The disclosure further includes monitoring and detecting adjustments during the enteral feeding, including detecting an adjustment by variable incremental increases to a 100% feeding rate, detecting a temporary stop in enteral feeding, and detecting parameters for intermittent feeding including frequency and duration and taper up and taper down. In addition, the disclosure includes selecting a new target feeding formula from a plurality when a new target feeding formula with a changed composition differs significantly from an initial target feeding formula, based on a change in energy expenditure to meet the target nutritional goal, and correlating energy-expenditure changes with patient condition caused by stress, recovery, movement, medication administration, and infection.

Claims Coverage

The relevant portion contains three independent claim types: a computer-implemented method, a computing device, and a computer program product (for adjusting enteral feeding). Across these independent claims, the coverage includes a sensor-driven energy expenditure computation and a constraint-based target nutritional goal that provides 100% or near 100% of computed energy expenditure irrespective of a predictive equation, followed by monitoring an initial feeding rate, detecting an adjustment, and generating controller instructions to compensate and deliver feed via an enteral feeding tube.

The independent claims collectively require (i) sensor-based computation of patient energy expenditure using carbon dioxide/oxygen signals and flow sensing during inspiration/expiration, (ii) a target nutritional goal providing 100% or near 100% of computed energy expenditure irrespective of a predictive equation, (iii) monitoring an initial feeding rate to detect an adjustment, and (iv) generating and providing controller instructions that compensate the feeding delivery through an enteral feeding tube to reach the target nutritional goal.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications