Enteral feeding is the practice of administering fully nutritious meals through a feeding tube directly into a patient's stomach or intestines. The National Library of Medicine, have reported that individuals who receive a percutaneous feeding tube have a mortality risk of roughly 18–24% in the first 30 days and close to 50–63% in the first year. Nearly 70% of the patients who survived did not exhibit any signs of improvement in their nutritional state. The market for Enteral Feeding Devices worldwide was valued at $3.48 billion in 2021 and is anticipated to grow to $6.088 billion by 2030, registering a CAGR of 6.38 percent from 2021 to 2030.

For people with chronic illnesses like cancer, gastrointestinal disorders, and malnutrition, among others, enteral feeding equipment is used to administer medications and nutrients. The patient's ability to get nutrition and maintain a healthy gastrointestinal system is made possible by being tube fed. The enteral feeding devices are typically used in critical care units, operating rooms, intensive care units, and even at home for seriously ill patients.

a.) Enteral Feeding Pumps

When tube feeding needs to be given slowly over a long period of time, enteral pumps are employed. It is generally applied when the patient is unable to tolerate a 60cc syringe-fed, gravity-fed Bolusus.

The Enteral Feeding Pumps are basically used to provide enteral nutrition to the patients. When a patient with a functional gastrointestinal system cannot use the natural oral route or adequately absorb nutrients, enteral nutrition (EN) is a life-saving technique that can be used to deliver nutrition. EN can be administered using a variety of methods, including as percutaneous or nasal tubes with gastric or small intestinal access. EN is used to support inpatient or at-home nutrition care, and it may be given temporarily or permanently. Although tube feeding has a long history dating back to the 16th century, significant advances in formula manufacture and the use of pumps for both intermittent and continuous tube feeding have been made in the 21st century. 

b.) Devices & techniques that are implemented in case of Bedside Enteral Feeding Tube Placement

Clinicians generally use a variety of methods and tools to increase the security of placing feeding tubes at the bedside. The colorimetric carbon dioxide detector (CCD), a magnetically guided feeding tube (MGFT), and an electromagnetic tube placement device are three particular devices that are emphasized (ETPD). The Carbon Dioxide Detector is used to determine whether Carbon Dioxide is present or absent, assisting in the proper positioning of the feeding tube tip into the GI tract as opposed to the lung.

The MGFT uses a magnetic device to manipulate the feeding tube through the GI tract into the small intestine. The feeding tube's journey into the small intestine may be seen in real-time, thanks to the ETPD. The highlighted devices can help with both of these objectives. Training and practice are crucial for safe and effective feeding tube insertion.

CONCLUSION

Recent recommendations include accepting gastric residual volumes up to 500 mL to increase the volume of formula delivered in practice, using a promotility agent to help reduce gastric residual volume, and switching from an hourly-rate feeding goal to a 24-hour volume goal to allow nurses to "make-up" for interruptions and meet feeding targets.