Contamination of a Prefilled Ready-to-Use Enteral Feeding System Compared With a Refillable Bag

Abstract

The contamination of a refillable bag enteral feeding system was compared with a prefilled, ready-to-use system on four stable patients with gastrostomies in a long-term care facility. Samples were taken from the distal end of the tubing attached to the formula reservoir three times (just before administration to the patient, during the morning medication pass, and just before the reservoir change) during 24 hours for 3 days with use of the refillable bag, the ready-to-use system, and the ready-to-use system with a Y-port added. A Y-port was added to the ready-to-use system to facilitate administration of water, medications, residual checks, and specimen collection without disconnection of the gastrostomy tube from the formula reservoir tubing when it was apparent that the contamination levels of the refillable bag and the ready-to-use system were not different. Forty-one (65%) of the 63 specimens collected while the Y-port was not being used exceeded the acceptable contamination level for grade A pasteurized milk. Five (28%) of the 18 specimens collected while the Y-port was in use exceeded this level. Use of a Y-port is suggested when a prefilled ready-to-use system is used to decrease contamination as well as save nursing time. ( Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition 17:461-464, 1993)