Covidien has obtained 510(k) approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its camera-equipped Kangaroo feeding tube with Integrated Real-time Imaging System (IRIS) technology, designed to enhance patient safety by providing visualization for a procedure that is currently blinded.
The IRIS technology streams a real-time video back to the Kangaroo IRIS monitor and provides visual information that can help clinicians identify key areas of a patient’s anatomy.
Medical professionals can also save images from the live stream and make notes associated with the image with the help of the Kangaroo feeding tube.
The Kangaroo IRIS monitor is currently programmed with seven languages that include English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese and Dutch.
Feeding tube placement was often done blindly before the availability of the Kangaroo feeding tube with IRIS technology. Blind placement may lead to the misplacement of the feeding tube into the patient’s airway, which can potentially cause a punctured lung or even death.
Covidien claims that the Kangaroo feeding tube with IRIS technology now gives sight where medical professionals were previously blind.
Covidien medical supplies president Jim Clemmer noted that the Kangaroo feeding tube with IRIS technology is truly unique and was built with patient safety in mind.
"Covidien is an industry leader in nutritional delivery and enteral feeding devices and products such as the Kangaroo feeding tube with IRIS technology are designed to help improve patient outcomes and set new expectations for medical device product safety and innovation around the world," Clemmer added.
The company also obtained approvals for the Kangaroo feeding tube with IRIS technology in Europe, Japan, Canada and Australia.
Image: Covidien’s Kangaroo feeding tube with IRIS Technology. Photo: Courtesy of Business Wire/Covidien plc