ACTIVATED SYRINGE FOR PROBE CLEANING

Abstract

Devices are provided for cleaning a feeding tube or clearing a blockage in a tube, such as an enteral feeding device. These devices include an actuator and a syringe. The actuator is releasably attached to the syringe in such a way that it allows the syringe to move from a compressed to an extended position, and vice versa, without requiring user intervention. A method for cleaning a feeding tube or clearing a blockage in a feeding tube is also provided. The feeding tube cleaning device is filled with a fluid, and the actuator pushes the fluid from the syringe into the feeding tube when it is compressed and draws the fluid back into the syringe when it is extended, causing the fluid to contact a blockage and clear the blockage and / or clean the feeding tube.

Description

ACTIVATED SYRINGE FOR PROBE CLEANING BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION There are numerous situations in which it is necessary to subject the anatomical structures of the human body to catheterization, through an artificial stoma, to achieve a desired medical purpose. Some relatively common situations are the drainage of retained fluids and the administration of nutrient solutions or medications directly into the stomach or intestines. For these situations, a stoma is created percutaneously, and a permanent device is placed through it. For example, the surgical opening and / or procedure to create a stoma that extends between the stomach or intestinal wall and the outside of the skin is commonly referred to as a “gastrostomy.”A device with a catheter component, for example, a feeding tube, placed through this stoma, allows the injection of feeding solutions through the tube to provide nutrients directly to the stomach or intestines (which is known as enteral feeding). As mentioned above, there are a variety of situations in which a catheter may be necessary. One common occurrence after major surgery is a temporary decline in a patient's gastric function. In addition to the need to provide the body with essential nutrients, a deprived intestine can become a breeding ground for bacteria after surgery and in other cases of impaired or limited gastric function. These problems can be addressed by introducing nutrients through an enteral feeding tube, appropriately inserted through the abdominal wall, gastric wall, pylorus, duodenum, and / or into the jejunum, beyond the ligament of Treitz. However, the nutrients used are generally in the form of a formula with a liquid or viscous, semi-solid consistency. As such, there is a problem that the tubing used in catheters, such as those used in enteral feeding devices, tends to become clogged or blocked. Furthermore, many feeding catheters are also used to administer medications and supplements to the mammal. These medications and supplements often have a powdery or chalky consistency and can easily cause blockages or obstructions if they are not completely emptied through the catheter, either exacerbating problems caused by the feeding formula or on their own. Currently, when a blockage occurs, a user is typically required to attach a syringe and manually administer a suction-pressure cycle until the blockage is cleared. For example, Instructions for Use (“IFU”) generally state: “[o]n place a catheter-tip syringe filled with warm water into the appropriate lumen of the catheter, gently pull back, and then push the plunger in to dislodge the obstruction. If the obstruction remains, repeat the previous step. Gentle suction, alternating with syringe pressure, will clear most obstructions.” However, IFUs do not provide an interpretation of gentle suction and pressure, which often results in a user collapsing a catheter by applying too much suction, breaking the catheter by applying too much pressure, or not applying enough suction or pressure, resulting in the obstruction or blockage not being removed. More devices have been developed to clear blockages, but these often require the use of automated devices such as brush probe cleaners or piercing devices. These automated devices often need to be inserted into the tubing until they make contact with the blockage, and they are not suitable for use in most outpatient settings. Therefore, it would be beneficial to provide a catheter cleaning device that is easy to use at home or outside of a hospital setting. It would also be beneficial to provide a catheter cleaning device that does not require an automated device or tool to be inserted into the tubing to the point of contact with the blockage. Furthermore, it would be beneficial to have a catheter cleaning device that can automatically detect when an adequate amount of suction and / or pressure has been applied to the tubing. It would also be beneficial to have a catheter cleaning device that automatically continues a cleaning cycle until an obstruction or blockage has been cleared. Moreover, it would be beneficial to have a catheter cleaning device that can be used to clean a catheter, such as a feeding tube, and that also has the capability to clear a blockage or obstruction in a catheter. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The aspects and advantages of the invention will be partly set forth in the following description, may be evident from the description, or may be learned through the practice of the invention. This disclosure generally pertains to a probe cleaning device. The probe cleaning device includes an actuator and a syringe. The actuator is releasably attached to the syringe and is configured to automatically move the syringe from an extended to a compressed position. In one further configuration, the actuator is a linear actuator. Additionally, or alternatively, the actuator is also configured to move the syringe from the compressed to the extended position. Furthermore, in one configuration, the actuator stops the syringe's transition from the extended to the compressed position, from the compressed to the extended position, or both the transitions from the extended to the compressed position and from the compressed to the extended position, at a preset pressure or distance traveled. In an additional or alternative embodiment, the syringe contains a reservoir, the reservoir being sized to hold a quantity of liquid from approximately 10 milliliters to approximately 100 milliliters. In one embodiment, the actuator is battery-operated. In yet another embodiment, the actuator comprises a pressure sensor. Additionally or alternatively, the syringe contains a reservoir having a tip, the tip being configured to connect to an enteric feeding device. In yet another embodiment, the actuator is releasably attached to the syringe. Additionally or alternatively, the reservoir has a diameter of approximately 5 millimeters to approximately 50 millimeters. This disclosure also includes a general method for cleaning a probe. The method includes filling a reservoir of a probe cleaning device with a quantity of fluid and connecting the probe cleaning device to a probe. The probe cleaning device includes an actuator and a syringe. The actuator is releasably attached to the syringe and is configured to move the syringe from an extended to a compressed position. In one embodiment, the feeding tube is a device for enteral feeding. In one embodiment, fluid is pushed through a tip of the reservoir into the feeding tube when the actuator moves the syringe to the compressed position. Additionally, or alternatively, fluid is drawn back into the reservoir from the feeding tube when the actuator moves the syringe to the extended position. In yet another embodiment, the actuator stops the syringe's transition from the extended to the compressed position, from the compressed to the extended position, or both the transitions from the extended to the compressed position and from the compressed to the extended position, at a preset pressure or distance traveled. In an additional or alternative mode, the activator stops the syringe transition automatically after reaching the preset pressure without requiring user intervention. This disclosure also includes a general method for clearing a catheter blockage. The method involves filling a reservoir of a catheter cleaning device with a quantity of fluid and connecting the catheter cleaning device to a catheter. The catheter cleaning device includes an actuator and a syringe. The actuator is releasably attached to the syringe and is configured to move the syringe from an extended to a compressed position. In one mode, fluid is pushed through a tip of the reservoir into the catheter when the actuator moves the syringe to the compressed position. Alternatively, fluid is drawn back into the reservoir from the catheter when the actuator moves the syringe to the extended position. Furthermore, in one mode, the fluid is pushed through the tip of the reservoir in sufficient quantity to contact a blockage in the probe. In another mode, the actuator recycles the fluid between the blockage and the reservoir by repeatedly transitioning the syringe from the compressed to the extended position. In an additional or alternative mode, these cycles continue until the blockage is cleared. These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will be better understood with reference to the following description and appended claims. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and form part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. zLOLnn / Lznz / B / Yi BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The foregoing and other attributes and aspects of this disclosure, as well as the manner of achieving them, will become more apparent, and the disclosure itself will be better understood, by reference to the following description, the appended claims, and the accompanying drawings, where: Figure 1a is a view of a probe cleaning device, according to this disclosure; Figure 1b is a view of the probe cleaning device, according to Figure 1a, in its compressed position; Figure 1c is a view of the probe cleaning device, according to Figure 1a, in an extended position; Figure 2a is a top view of a portion of a probe cleaning device, according to this disclosure; Figure 2b is a top view of a portion of a probe cleaning device, according to Figure 2a, in a compressed position; Figure 2c is a top view of a portion of a probe cleaning device, according to Figure 2a, in an extended position; Figure 3 is a view of one end of a probe cleaning device for connection to an enteral feeding device, according to this disclosure; Figure 4a illustrates the removal of a blockage or obstruction in an enteral feeding device, by using a probe cleaning device in accordance with this disclosure; Figure 4b illustrates the removal of a blockage or obstruction in an enteral feeding device, using a tube cleaning device in accordance with this disclosure; and Figure 4c illustrates the removal of a blockage or obstruction in an enteral feeding device, by using a probe cleaning device in accordance with this disclosure. zLOLnn / Lznz / E / Yi DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The embodiments of the invention will now be described in detail, with one or more examples illustrated in the drawings. Each example is provided to explain the invention, not to limit it. In fact, it will be evident to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations of the present invention can be made without departing from its scope or spirit. For example, the features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be used with another embodiment to produce yet another embodiment. It is thus intended that the present invention covers such modifications and variations, insofar as they fall within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents. Furthermore, the specific naming of components, the capitalization of terms, attributes, data structures, or any other programming or structural aspect are neither mandatory nor significant, and the mechanisms implementing the invention or its attributes may have different names, formats, or protocols. Also, the specific division of functionality among the various components described herein is merely illustrative and not mandatory; instead, functions performed by a single component may be performed by multiple components, and vice versa. According to this disclosure, an enteral feeding device may generally refer to an enteral feeding device, such as a feeding tube, that has been inserted into a mammal (e.g., a human). The present invention relates to a device for clearing a blockage or obstruction in a non-vascular catheter device, for example, an enteral feeding device or similar, including extensions thereof, comprising a catheter tube, an external retainer (for example, a base deployed outside the human body), and a permanent retainer that deploys within a lumen or cavity of a patient's body (i.e., a non-vascular body lumen or cavity such as, for example, a gastric lumen, the jejunum, the peritoneal cavity, or similar). For example, the permanent retainer may be a catheter device retention mechanism that prevents the catheter device from being pulled out of the patient, and the permanent retainer may be inserted into the body lumen through a stoma. Insertion through the stoma may be from outside the body or from inside the body using endoscopic techniques.In this context, the term “insertion” should be understood as the placement or introduction of the catheter probe into a stoma, in such a way that the base unfolds outside the human body and the permanent retainer unfolds within a non-vascular lumen or cavity. In general terms, this disclosure pertains to a catheter cleaning device for removing obstructions or blockages from non-vascular catheters, such as enteral feeding devices using tubing. Specifically, a catheter cleaning device, according to this disclosure, may utilize an actuator, such as a linear actuator in one configuration, capable of compressing and extending a pump, such as a syringe, to agitate and remove a blockage or obstruction. Furthermore, the actuator may be at least partially, if not fully, automated, such that it is capable of agitating the blockage or obstruction without requiring a user to calibrate the necessary level of pressure or suction.Furthermore, a catheter cleaning device, according to this disclosure, may have the ability to detect pressure in a non-vascular catheter, such that the device can select the amount of pump extension and compression required to provide the pressure necessary to clear the obstruction or blockage without damaging the non-vascular catheter. Of course, although this disclosure addresses tubing in connection with enteral feeding devices, it is also envisaged that the catheter cleaning device of this disclosure may be capable of effectively cleaning and clearing blockages from other types of tubing known in the art. For example, in one embodiment, a probe cleaning device may include an actuator. Referring to Figures 1a to 1c, a probe cleaning device 100 may include an actuator, generally shown by reference character 102. The actuator 102 may be integrally formed with a pump, such as a syringe 104, or it may be configured to be associated with a syringe 104 that is formed separately from the actuator 102. For example, in one embodiment, the actuator may have arms 106 containing a seal, pressure-sensitive adhesive, or snap-fit ​​receiving end, for example, at the distal end 108 of the arms 106. In this manner, the distal end 108 of the arms 106 of the actuator 102 may be releasably associated with the base 110 of the plunger 112 and the flange 114 of the syringe 104.Of course, although not shown in the image, an activator 102, according to the present disclosure, may be associated with the syringe 104 by means of the arms 106, and / or may have a releasable association, such as a pressure-sensitive adhesive, only on an inner or outer portion of the arms 106, in order to associate with an inner or outer portion of the base 110 and flange 114, rather than spanning a portion of the base 110 and flange, as shown in Figures 1a to 1c. Regardless, in one embodiment, the activator 102 may be associated with the syringe 104, used to agitate a blockage or clean a probe, and then removed from the syringe 104 by using a releasable association, as described above or as known in the art. However, regardless of the association configuration used, the actuator 102 may have a motor 116. The motor 116 may be operated by any power source known in the art, but in one embodiment, the motor 116 may be battery-operated. Regardless of the power source selected, the motor 116 may be associated with the actuator 102 in such a way that the motor 116 can move the actuator 102 from a compressed position, as generally shown in Figure 1b, to an extended position, as generally shown in Figure 1c, as well as the points in between, as generally shown in Figure 1a, without requiring any action or intervention by a user. In general, a motor 116 and actuator 102, acting together in this disclosure, may move the arms of the actuator 106 and the syringe in a substantially linear direction, as generally shown by the direction of vector A.Thus, in one mode, activator 102 can be a linear activator. The motor 116 can be associated with the actuator 102 and / or segments of the actuator 118 (shown more clearly in Figures 2a to 2c) in any manner known in the art and, in one example, can be connected by means of a rod 120 in an inner portion of the actuator 102 or, alternatively, can be connected by means of a track in an outer portion of the actuator 102 (not shown). In one embodiment, the rod 120 is a screw for a ball screw mechanism 121. In this embodiment, the rod 120 can maintain its original length, but the ball screw mechanism 121 can cause at least one of the arms 106 of the actuator 102 to move in a linear motion along the rod 120 or vector A. zLOLnn / Lznz / B / Yi With reference to Figures 2a to 2c, in one further embodiment, when motor 116 is associated with actuator 102 or individual segments 118 of actuator 102, motor 116 may be able to extend actuator 102, exposing a greater number of segments 118, such that the actuator is in an extended position, for example, the position shown in general in Figure 1c. Similarly, motor 116 may also be able to contract actuator 102 or segments 118 to move actuator 102 into a compressed position, as shown in general in Figure 1b, where segments 118 have been compacted to reveal fewer of them, as shown in general in Figure 2b. Of course, as explained above, motor 116 is also capable of moving actuator 102 to positions between the compressed and extended positions, as shown in general in Figures 1a and 2a.Thus, in one mode, such as a mode shown in Figures 2a to 2c, the rod 120 may have the ability to collapse or be deformable, in order to expand and retract together with the segments, or by other association to the activator 102, after the action by the motor 116. An activator may have the ability to transition from an extended to a compressed position, and vice versa, by any means generally known in the art. For example, in one instance, the activator may be formed from a deformable material, such that segments 118 have the ability to deform to a relatively small width and then extend back to their extended shape. In this embodiment, the segments 118 may not be individual pieces or have any delineation of the activator as a whole, but may be portions of the activator used to measure a quantity of compression. Alternatively, the segments 118 may be individual segments that have the ability to fold or retract under or within the immediately adjacent segment 118.In this way, segments 118 may not increase or decrease in size when moving from one side of the trigger to the other and, instead, may function in cooperation with adjacent segments, in such a way that the entirety of the segments could be contained within a single segment. Of course, other methods of compression are considered herein, as generally known in the art. Regardless of the compression method used, the actuator can be formed from a material that is both compressible and extensible, and capable of applying sufficient force to a syringe plunger to agitate a liquid from the syringe, into a probe, and back into the syringe. In one embodiment, the material can be a high-impact plastic, such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, a polycarbonate, a polyetherimide, such as Ultem® polyetherimide, a copolyester, such as Tritan™ copolyester, or combinations thereof. A rigid plastic with this strength can be selected, or a weaker material that deforms more easily can be used, and reinforcement such as a collapsible rod 120 can be incorporated into the arms 106 and / or actuator body 102. Notwithstanding the material selected or the type of segments used, an actuator, according to this disclosure, can be configured to supply a maximum pressure to the probe, where the pressure at the probe is a function of the pressure applied to the fluid contained in the reservoir, which is pushed from the reservoir to the probe, and the distance the fluid must travel in the pipe before contacting a blockage or stoppage. For example, in one mode, the actuator can be configured to supply a pressure between approximately 27,579 kPa (4 psi) and 68,948 kPa (10 psi), such as a pressure between 34,474 kPa (5 psi) and approximately 62,053 kPa (9 psi), or, in another mode, to supply a pressure of approximately 48,263 kPa (7 psi).In this way, a user does not have to guess the pressure needed to dislodge or break up an obstruction or blockage, since the actuator is configured to expand and compress sufficiently to achieve this pressure. Furthermore, according to this disclosure, an actuator may also have a sensor capable of detecting when a desired pressure has been reached. The sensor can be preset to the desired pressure, and the actuator expands and compresses until that pressure is achieved. Additionally, or alternatively, the pressure may not be preset. Instead, the actuator may be designed to travel a certain distance, extending and compressing the syringe plunger only to achieve the preset distance. However, it should be noted that both preset values ​​can be used simultaneously. For example, a preset distance may be used to initiate the actuator cleaning and / or blockage removal cycle, while a pressure sensor may stop or restrict the distance if a maximum pressure is reached. Thus, an actuator can be operated based on a preset distance, pressure, or a combination of both. In one embodiment according to this disclosure, a probe cleaning device according to this disclosure may also generally include a pump, such as a syringe 104. A syringe 104, according to this disclosure, may be any commercially available syringe and may be formed from materials known in the art. A syringe 104 may have a reservoir 122 configured to hold a liquid 124, such as water, as generally shown in Figures 1a to 1c.Thus, when the actuator 102 moves to a compressed position, as generally shown in Figure 1b, the plunger 112 of the syringe 104 can push or force the liquid 124 out of the reservoir 122 through a tip 126 of the syringe 104; and when the actuator 102 moves to an extended position, as generally shown in Figure 1c, the plunger 112 of the syringe 104 can be withdrawn from the tip 126, creating a vacuum in the reservoir 122 and drawing the liquid 124 back into the reservoir 122. Although one method of emptying and filling a reservoir has been described, other methods may be used, as is generally known in the art. Thus, in one embodiment, in order to retain a quantity of liquid necessary to clear an obstruction or blockage, or to clean a probe, the reservoir may be sized to hold a quantity of liquid from approximately 10 milliliters to approximately 100 milliliters, such as from approximately 25 milliliters to approximately 85 milliliters, or from approximately 50 milliliters to approximately 70 milliliters. Of course, as will be recognized in the art, one milliliter is equivalent to one cubic centimeter (cm³). Therefore, the preceding measurements of liquid volume may also correspond to an internal volume of the reservoir in cubic centimeters. In one embodiment, the syringe in this manner may be a “large-bore” syringe. For example, a reservoir according to this disclosure may have an internal diameter D of approximately 10 millimeters to approximately 45 millimeters, such as from approximately 20 millimeters to approximately 40 millimeters, such as from approximately 25 millimeters to approximately 35 millimeters. Additionally, a reservoir according to this disclosure may have a length L of approximately 35 millimeters to approximately 400 millimeters, such as approximately 50 millimeters to approximately 300 millimeters, such as approximately 75 millimeters to approximately 200 millimeters, or such as approximately 85 millimeters to approximately 175 millimeters. In particular, by using a syringe of this length and diameter, a syringe or pump, according to this disclosure, may be less cumbersome, allowing a user to more easily attach the syringe to an enteral feeding device, and may also allow for a larger surface area and thus greater pressure within the syringe by requiring less lateral movement of the actuator. In another configuration, the actuator can be used to clean an enteral feeding device or its extender, either as an alternative to or in addition to removing a blockage. In this configuration, a quantity of fluid can be used, according to the amounts mentioned above, and the actuator can be set to travel a greater distance (for example, to have a longer travel distance before restarting the extension / compression cycle by extending and / or compressing the syringe plunger a greater distance). In particular, as noted above, a blockage can generate pressure in a feeding tube, since it restricts the flow of fluid. Thus, in a feeding tube that is clean and unblocked, a different pressure or distance setting can be used, since the absence of a blockage can affect the pressure measured by the actuator.Thus, an actuator, according to this disclosure, may have more than one “mode,” such that a travel distance and / or pressure measurement is preset to a different value when cleaning versus blockage removal is required. Additionally, or alternatively, in one mode, a preset pressure may be used to clear a blockage, and a preset distance may be used for cleaning. However, as explained above, a preset pressure, a preset distance, or a combination thereof, may be used together for both cleaning and blockage removal. Regardless, the cleaning function has an additional benefit: it reduces the user's workload in creating an appropriate cycle for thorough cleaning, which can extend the service life of the probe, tubing extension, and / or extension equipment. zLOLnn / Lznz / B / Yi However, with reference to Figure 3, the tip 126 of the reservoir 122, according to this disclosure, can be adjusted in size and configured for easy connection to an enteral feeding device or extender. While the tip 126 can have any shape or size that allows fluid to pass from the reservoir to the enteral feeding device or extender, in one embodiment, the tip 126 can have a shape, material, and / or design that is compatible with an ENFit™ system and / or compatible with systems generally referred to by ISO 80369-3. Thus, in one embodiment, the tip 126 can be designed as an ENFit™ connector. However, as explained, the tip 126 can also have any dimensions necessary to connect to other enteral feeding devices, allowing fluid to pass from the reservoir 126 to the enteral feeding device or extender. This disclosure also generally includes a method for cleaning a probe or disintegrating an obstruction or blockage in a probe, using a probe cleaning device as defined herein. For example, with reference to Figures 4a to 4c, which may also include further aspects of the probe cleaning device described above, a probe cleaning device having an activator 102 and a syringe 104 has been filled with a liquid 124, such as water.The tip 126 of the syringe 104 / reservoir 122 is then connected to a distal end 128 of an enteral feeding device 130, wherein a distal end 128 of an enteral feeding device 130 is located at the far end of the mammal, and wherein the proximal end 132 of the enteral feeding device 130 is adjacent to a side or abdomen of a mammal 138, in such a manner that the proximal end 132 can be connected or can be an inlet 134. Regardless, as shown in Figure 4b, after syringe 104 has been connected to the enteral feeding device 130, actuator 102 can move to a compressed position, or plunger 112 and syringe 104 can move to a compressed position, generally along direction B, as shown in Figure 4b. In this compressed position, fluid 124 can be pushed from reservoir 122, through tip 126, and into the enteral feeding device 130. As discussed above, actuator 102 can continue to move to a compressed position until plunger 112 has moved or traveled a certain distance, or a certain pressure has been obtained in the enteral feeding device probe.When the desired pressure or distance has been reached, the actuator 102 begins to retract, moving the plunger 112 and syringe 104 to an extended position, generally along direction C, as shown in Figure 4c. During the transition to an extended position, the plunger 112 may create a vacuum in the reservoir 122, causing the fluid 124 to return to the reservoir 122. As shown in general in Figure 4b, the actuator 102 can continue to move the syringe 104 and plunger 112 to a compressed position until a quantity of fluid 124 has been pushed from the reservoir 122, such that a blockage 136 can be contacted by the fluid 124. In particular, contact of the blockage 136 with the fluid 124 can cause an increase in pressure, necessary to complete the transition to the compressed position, since the blockage 136 can partially or completely block the probe, restricting the flow of the fluid. Thus, the actuator 102 can continue to move the syringe 104 and plunger 112 to a compressed position, even after fluid 124 contacts a blockage or obstruction 136, until a desired pressure or distance traveled has been reached.After the desired pressure or travel distance has been reached, the actuator 102 moves to the extended position, which in turn moves the syringe 104 and plunger 112 to the extended position, as generally shown in Figure 4c. In this position, portions of the blockage 136 can be extracted with the fluid 124 during the transition, thus removing a portion of the blockage. The transition to the extended position can continue until a desired pressure is reached, such as a negative pressure greater than that required to collapse the probe, but sufficient to draw a desired amount of fluid back into the reservoir. These steps can then be repeated, creating a cycle of pressure and suction due to the actuator 102, syringe 104, plunger 112, and fluid 124, until the blockage has been cleared. Although the invention has been described in conjunction with specific embodiments thereof, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, it is intended to encompass all such alternatives, modifications, and variations that fall within the spirit and broad scope of the appended claims. All publications, patents, and patent applications mentioned in this specification are incorporated herein in their entirety by reference to the same extent as if each individual publication, patent, or patent application were specifically and individually indicated as incorporated herein by reference. Furthermore, the citation or identification of any reference in this application shall not be construed as an admission that such reference is available as prior art to the present invention. zLOLnn / Lznz / B / Yi

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A probe cleaning device, comprising: an actuator; and a syringe; wherein the actuator is reliably associated with the syringe, and wherein the actuator is configured to automatically move a syringe from an extended position to a compressed position.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the actuator is a linear actuator.

3. The device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the actuator is further configured to move the syringe from the compressed position to the extended position.

4. The device according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the actuator stops the transition of the syringe from the extended position to the compressed position, from the compressed position to the extended position, or both the transition from the extended position to the compressed position and the transition from the compressed position to the extended position, at a preset pressure or distance traveled.

5. The device according to any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the syringe contains a reservoir, wherein the reservoir is of sufficient size to hold an amount of liquid from approximately 10 milliliters to approximately 100 milliliters.

6. The device according to any of claims 1 to 5, wherein the actuator comprises a pressure sensor.

7. The device according to any of claims 1 to 6, wherein the syringe contains a reservoir, wherein the reservoir comprises a tip, and wherein the tip is configured to connect to an enteral feeding device.

8. The device according to any of claims 1 to 7, wherein the reservoir has an inside diameter of approximately 5 millimeters to approximately 50 millimeters.

9. A method for cleaning a probe, wherein the method comprises: filling a reservoir of a probe cleaning device with a quantity of a liquid, wherein the probe cleaning device comprises: an actuator; and a syringe; wherein the actuator is releasably associated with the syringe, and wherein the actuator is configured to move the syringe from an extended position to a compressed position; and connecting the probe cleaning device to a probe.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the probe is an enteral feeding device. zLOLnn / Lznz / B / Yi 11. The method according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the liquid is pushed through a tip of the reservoir into the probe when the actuator moves the syringe into the compressed position.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the liquid is drawn back into the reservoir from the probe, when the actuator moves the syringe to the extended position.

13. The method according to any of claims 9 to 12, wherein the actuator stops the transition of the syringe from the compressed position, the transition to the extended position, or both the transition to the compressed position and the transition to the extended position, when a preset pressure or distance traveled is reached.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the actuator automatically stops the syringe transition after reaching the preset pressure or distance without requiring user intervention.

15. A method for removing a blockage from a probe, wherein the method comprises: filling a reservoir of a probe cleaning device with a quantity of a liquid, wherein the probe cleaning device comprises: an actuator; and a syringe; wherein the actuator is releasably associated with the syringe, and wherein the actuator is configured to move the syringe from an extended position to a compressed position; and connecting the probe cleaning device to a probe.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the liquid is pushed through a tip of the reservoir into the probe when the actuator moves the syringe into the compressed position.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the liquid is drawn back into the reservoir from the probe, when the actuator moves the syringe to the extended position.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the liquid is pushed through the tip of the reservoir in a sufficient quantity to contact a blockage in the probe.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the activator recycles the fluid between the block and the reservoir by repeating the syringe transitions from the compressed position to the extended position.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the cycles are continued until the blockage has been removed.

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