SUPPLIES
Prior to purchasing supplies ask your DME, infusion supply company, and/or hospital if they have any of the items you can have for free. Often they don’t let you know these items are available upon request.
Many feeding tube medical supplies and food additives such as extensions, adapters, valves, Dysphagia products, etc. can be purchased on Amazon or as self pay (FSA & HSA Eligible) at Carewell.com. You likely can find them elsewhere online for cheaper but this is a good place to see what is available on the market and get model numbers. I have purchased from them personally.
I have not purchased from but included links to products that can be bought in single quantities from: www.medicaleshop.com, www.healthproductsforyou.com
Standard Connection Types
Let start with the two main types of syringes/fasteners and how they connect to the feeding tubes.
- ENfit (twist on)
- Legacy (push in)
- NOT “Luer Lok” syringes, only ENfit
ENfit to Legacy and Legacy (cone/funnel) to ENfit adapters are available often available from your DME supplier or can be purchased online. Plus, cone to ENfit adapters work with catheters as well.
I really suggest keeping these handy at home or in your to-go bag. You never know when you might need them, especially if you find yourself in the ER with a temporary tube replacement that doesn’t work with your regular syringes or pump, or if you’re in a place where they don’t have the right type of syringes!
Adventures in Tubeland: The Time Sam Sent Me to the ER
Other specialty adapters and valves exist and can be purchased if you have a specific need:
Medicaleshop.com Feeding Tube Adapters and Accessories (Search All)
Carewell.com Feeding Tube Accessories (Search All)
Syringes
You probably received those awful disposable syringes that make you dread having to deal with this daily. They become nearly impossible to plunge, a nightmare to clean, and let’s face it, they’re only good for a pathetic handful of uses.
Do yourself a solid and invest in some quality reusable syringes. When you actually take care of them, they’ll stick around for a long time. I’ve been rocking mine for over a year, and let me tell you, it’s a game changer!
Below, you’ll find some of my all-time favorites, along with others I wish I’d discovered sooner or would definitely use in specific scenarios.
BASIK 60ml ENfit Reusable Syringes with Removal Silicone O-ring
- ENfit connection
- Removable silicone O-ring to ensure thorough cleaning and hygiene.
- Can be lubricated with olive oil upon reassembly to achieve lasting, smooth plunging action. *Syringe Clean and Assemble subsection
- Long-lasting when properly maintained.
- I have utilized mine for a duration of over one year.
- 60ml Volume with 1ml markings
- One downside, the markings wash off easily.
- I utilized these for bolus feeds and water flushes. I administer bolus until the meal is concluded and can estimate the water volume; hence, precise markings are not required.
- We use a Sharpie hash to indicate 5ml, 10ml, and 20ml on several syringes for water volume measurement during medication mixing and remarking as they fade.
- Central funnel tip ensures the extraction of every drop.
- The body without plunger is advantageous for gravity pour feeding and drinking through the tube!
- The body without plunger is also effective for burping/venting.
- ENfit connection
- 60ml volume with 1ml markings
- Low dose tip (1ml and 2.5ml) to enhance dose precision makes them ideal for medications.
- Side tip makes getting medications into syringe easier.
- Reusable and washable with silicone O-ring to ensure thorough cleaning and hygiene.
- Can be lubricated with olive oil upon reassembly to achieve lasting, smooth plunging action. *Syringe Clean and Assemble subsection
- Long-lasting when properly maintained.
- I have utilized mine for a duration of over one year.
- ENfit connection
- 20ml volume with 1ml markings
- Low dose tip (1ml and 2.5ml) to enhance dose precision makes them ideal for medications.
- Side tip makes getting medications into syringe easier.
- Reusable and washable with silicone O-ring to ensure thorough cleaning and hygiene.
- Can be lubricated with olive oil upon reassembly to achieve lasting, smooth plunging action. *Syringe Clean and Assemble subsection
- Long-lasting when properly maintained.
- ENfit connection
- 5ml volume with 0.2ml submarks
- Low dose tip and 0.1ml markings in last ml enhances dose precision and makes them ideal for low volume/high strength medications, like pain relievers.
- Reusable and washable with silicone O-ring to ensure thorough cleaning and hygiene.
- Can be lubricated with olive oil upon reassembly to achieve lasting, smooth plunging action. *Syringe Clean and Assemble subsection
- Long-lasting when properly maintained.
- Easily fill ENfit syringes directly from medication bottles without a mess and wasting medication.
- Sizes: 10.5–11 mm, 15–16.5 mm, 16.5–18 mm, 18–19.5 mm, 18.5–20.5 mm, 20–21.5 mm, 25.5–27 mm, Stepped Universal
- Sometimes it can be hard to reuse them other than the stepped universal adapter. Once you know the size you need for your common meds you can stock up on that size.
ENFit Medicine Bottle Adapter, 10-Pack
 | 10.5mm-11mm | Buy on Amazon |
 | 15mm-16.5mm | Buy on Amazon |
 | 16.5mm-18mm | Buy on Amazon |
 | 18mm-19.5mm | Buy on Amazon |
 | 18.5mm-20.5mm | Buy on Amazon |
 | 20mm-21.5mm | Buy on Amazon |
 | 25.5mm-27mm | Buy on Amazon |
- Handle fits all hand sizes
- Maximum results with minimal effort.
- Contour cover encloses internal moving parts
- Powerful dual action crushes pills to powder in a few seconds
- Medication sleeves minimize waste.
- ENfit connection
- 12″ and 24″ lengths
- Straight connector with lock-and-key style connection
- A SECUR-LOK Cath tip MIC-KEY/ bolus connector
- Tubing clamp
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