Team 6

Totally Tubular, Inc.: Bioengineered Nasogastric Feeding Tube To Optimized Patient Comfort

Team Members: Airam Coronel, Imelda Fragoza, Emma Godbey, Ryan Shannon - SBHSE

Team Mentors: Denzil Mathew - Creighton University School of Medicine
Dr. Xiaojun Tian - SBHSE

YouTube Link: View the video link below before joining the zoom meeting

Zoom Link: https://asu.zoom.us/j/99392796019


Abstract

Nasogastric feeding tubes are widely used to deliver nutrients and medication to patients; however, they are extremely uncomfortable. The demand for nasogastric feeding tubes is huge and it is exponentially growing over the years. As of 2018, the market size globally was estimated at 2.41 billion dollars. The market in the US was estimated at 630 million dollars in 2019, but by 2024 it is expected to reach 960 million dollars. Our main goal was to develop a nasogastric feeding tube that will both be accurately placeable and deliver desirables down the nose and to the stomach decreasing discomfort towards the users. We completed three designs of experiments to better make our device with regards to the velocity of the liquids, pH strip placement, and material mechanical strength. Through testing we optimized our device to minimize discomfort in the patient by minimizing the radius of the tube and using a different type of the material to competitors. We decreased the cost of use by adding a pH indicator connector to test for stomach acid and verify placement when the device is implemented. We followed ethical practices and documented our entire process to prepare for FDA verification and overall we expect that if implemented our device could help thousands.

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