Non-Weighted Feeding Tube

19:28 Feb 22, 2021 

You can check out examples of descriptions for a range of products and (often) their images at the UK's NHS Supply Chain. Sometimes the spelling is a bit hit and miss - I think 'radio-opaque' is actually the term, or I've seen x-ray opaque - but there are numerous examples of nasogastric tubes amongst the enteral feeding systems category: e.g. https://my.supplychain.nhs.uk/Catalogue/product/fwm4217

15:53 Feb 22, 2021 

Non-weighted tube - https://www.cardinalhealth.com/en/product-solutions/medical/...

Weighted tube - https://www.cardinalhealth.com/en/product-solutions/medical/...

Compare the ordering information for each device. The non-weighted ones are
"Kangaroo™ Feeding Tube, Dual Port with Radiopaque Line, Non-weighted, 8Fr/Ch" (or 10, 12 or 14 Fr/Ch depending on the catheter size) . The weighted ones "Kangaroo™ Nasogastric Feeding Tube, 3 g (or 5g) Weighted Tip, Rigid Port, No Stylet, 8 Fr/Ch" (or 10, 12 or 14 Fr/Ch depending on the catheter size). The difference between the weighted and non-weighted tubes is the presence (or not) of a weight at the tip of the tube. In the case of these weighted tubes, the choice is either 3g or 5g.

If you read the abstract of the paper Alžbeta refers to, you'll see that 'weighted' and 'unweighted' refers to whether or not there was a 7g weight added on to the feeding tube. It doesn't refer to the weight of the tube ie it doesn't mean that an unweighted tube is lightweight.

14:21 Feb 22, 2021 

I understand it rather as unweighted, being lighter, lightweight: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/026156...

13:16 Feb 22, 2021 

As Smu points out, the tubes can be weighted or non-weighted. There have been many experiments carried out to see whether naso-enteric tubes can be put into place more easily with or without the addition of a weight to the end of the tube.

Page 3 of https://1stdirectory.co.uk/_assets/files_comp/797fc710-60d8-... explains that with feeding tubes, "Weights are sometimes added to help passage through the pylorus into the small bowel." Also this supplier has a "Tungsten weighted form which can be useful for feeding into the small bowel or where X-ray confirmation is difficult" (page 6).

These two sites explain (in quite straightforward terms) what naso-enteric tubes are used for

https://www.nursingtimes.net/clinical-archive/nutrition/sele...
https://www.nursingtimes.net/clinical-archive/nutrition/sele...

13:09 Feb 22, 2021 

I understand it rather as unweighted, being lighter, lightweight: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/026156...

12:24 Feb 22, 2021 

Since they also make weighted ones, surely 'non-weighted feeing tube' is exactly what it is? Or am I missing something? (Which is not at all unlikely - I frequently miss the obvious!)
https://www.bowersmedical.com/online-catalogue-product/covid...