Kangaroo Skin Level Balloon Gastrostomy Kit

By Cardinal Health / Kangaroo  |  FSA/HSA Eligible  |  Sold Each

Purple JCAHO-Compliant Enteral Connector — Misconnection Prevention  |  ClipStar Security Clip  |  Raised Feet Disc — Air Circulation at Stoma  |  100% Silicone  |  DEHP-Free & Latex-Free  |  Complete Kit with Both Feeding Sets  |  Step-Up Shim Included  |  12–24FR  |  9 Stoma Lengths

The Kangaroo Skin Level Balloon Gastrostomy Kit is Cardinal Health's low-profile skin-level G-tube system — a complete tube-change kit designed to address the full clinical workflow from tube replacement through initial feeding. Four design features distinguish the Kangaroo system from other low-profile G-tubes: a purple-colored enteral connector engineered to prevent tubing misconnections (addressing the 2006 JCAHO Sentinel Event Alert on enteral misconnections); a ClipStar enteral security clip that physically locks the feeding extension set connection; a raised-feet external disc that allows air to circulate under the bolster to protect peristomal skin; and a comprehensive kit that includes both a bolus feeding set and a continuous feeding set with ClipStar so the patient and caregiver have immediate access to both feeding modes from day one. The Step-Up Shim bridges sizing differences during tube changes. 100% silicone. DEHP-free. Latex-free. 6 French sizes (12FR–24FR) and 9 stoma lengths (1.0–5.0cm). FSA/HSA eligible. By Cardinal Health / Kangaroo.

Size Chart — All Available Configurations

Confirm both the French size and stoma length from your prescriber's order before ordering. Call 1-866-218-0902 with specification questions.

What's in the Kit

Key Features

• Purple enteral connector — JCAHO misconnection prevention — the feeding connector on the Kangaroo Skin Level tube is purple, following the internationally recognized color convention for enteral feeding components; in 2006, the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO, now The Joint Commission) issued a Sentinel Event Alert identifying enteral tubing misconnections — the accidental connection of an enteral feeding set to an intravenous line, respiratory circuit, or other non-enteral system — as a cause of patient deaths; beyond the color convention, the Kangaroo connector is specifically engineered to be incompatible with non-enteral connectors, so that an enteral feeding set cannot be physically connected to an IV line or other incompatible medical line regardless of the operator's attention level; this structural misconnection prevention is a patient safety design feature absent from standard feeding port designs that use generic luer or friction-fit connections
• ClipStar enteral security clip — locks extension set connection — the ClipStar clip physically secures the feeding extension set at its connection point to the skin-level tube; when clipped, the extension set cannot be pulled away from the tube by normal patient movement, bedding contact, or accidental tugging; the clip engages around the connection junction and must be actively unclipped to remove the extension set; the continuous feeding set included in the kit comes with a ClipStar clip pre-attached; an additional enteral security clip is also included separately in the kit for caregiver convenience
• Raised feet disc design — air circulation under external bolster — the external retention disc (bolster) on the Kangaroo system has raised feet — elevated contact points on the underside of the disc that hold the disc surface slightly above the peristomal skin; this gap allows air to circulate between the disc and skin, reducing the moisture, heat, and pressure accumulation that a flat disc resting directly against the skin creates; prolonged occlusive contact between a flat bolster and peristomal skin leads to maceration, skin breakdown, and granulation tissue formation that is one of the most common G-tube complication patterns in long-term tube users
• Complete kit — both bolus and continuous feeding sets included — the Kangaroo kit includes a bolus feeding set for scheduled meal-timed delivery and a continuous feeding set for pump-assisted infusion, giving the patient and care team access to both feeding delivery modes immediately from the tube change without needing to separately order extension sets; the inclusion of both sets is particularly practical for new tube placements and for transitions in feeding protocol where the care team may want to evaluate both delivery modes
• Step-Up Shim included — the shim is a sizing transition device used when a tube change involves a different internal geometry than the previous tube; it assists with smooth insertion and reduces trauma during the tube change procedure
• 100% silicone — DEHP-free and latex-free — the tube and all silicone components are 100% silicone with no PVC or DEHP; DEHP is a phthalate plasticizer present in PVC medical devices with known reproductive and endocrine toxicology; DEHP-free silicone is the appropriate material for long-term implanted enteral tubes, particularly in pediatric patients
• 60cc irrigation syringe + 12cc syringe + gauze pads included | FSA/HSA eligible | By Cardinal Health / Kangaroo

Clinical FAQs

What is the JCAHO tubing misconnection Sentinel Event Alert and how does the purple connector address it?

In 2006, the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (now The Joint Commission) issued Sentinel Event Alert #36, specifically addressing tubing and catheter misconnections as a significant patient safety hazard. The alert documented multiple deaths and serious injuries resulting from the accidental connection of enteral feeding tubing to intravenous lines, urinary catheters, tracheostomy circuits, or other non-enteral systems. The specific mechanism of harm: enteral formula infused intravenously causes immediate severe hemolysis, sepsis, and death; air infused enterally can cause pneumoperitoneum; medication errors occur when medications intended for one route are delivered by another. Standard luer slip and luer lock connectors, which had been used across multiple medical line types for decades, create the misconnection vulnerability because they are physically compatible with connectors they should never be joined to. The Kangaroo enteral connector addresses this at two levels. The purple color serves as a visual warning system: all enteral feeding components are purple, making the feeding system immediately identifiable and visually distinct from IV lines (typically clear or labeled differently), respiratory circuits, and other systems. The connector geometry itself is engineered to be physically incompatible with non-enteral connectors — a physical mismatch that prevents the mechanical connection from being completed even if a clinician or caregiver attempts to connect mismatched lines. The combination of visual identification and physical incompatibility is the dual-barrier approach to misconnection prevention. This design feature is particularly relevant in settings where multiple medical lines are simultaneously being managed — ICU, acute hospital, and complex home care environments where IV lines, feeding tubes, and other infusion lines coexist.

What is the ClipStar and how does it compare to the SECUR-LOK mechanism on Avanos G-tubes?

The ClipStar is Cardinal Health's enteral security clip — a physical locking device that clips around the junction between the feeding extension set and the skin-level tube connector, holding the extension set in place and requiring active manipulation to remove. It is an add-on clip rather than an integrated locking mechanism. The Avanos SECUR-LOK (used on the MIC-KEY G low-profile tube) is a different approach: the locking mechanism is integrated into the connector geometry itself — the extension set is inserted and rotated to engage a built-in twist-and-lock mechanism, similar to a bayonet connector. Both systems achieve the same clinical goal — preventing accidental disconnection of the feeding extension set during feeding — through different physical mechanisms. SECUR-LOK: rotation-based twist lock integrated into the connector body; requires a specific MIC-KEY extension set to engage. ClipStar: add-on clip that clamps around the connection junction; usable with the Cardinal Health extension sets included in the kit. Neither system is universal — each is designed for its respective G-tube platform's extension sets. If you are managing a Kangaroo skin-level tube, use Kangaroo Clik·TIPS extension sets with ClipStar; if managing an Avanos MIC-KEY G tube, use MIC-KEY extension sets with SECUR-LOK.

How do I select the correct Kangaroo kit — what does each item number tell me?

The Kangaroo Skin Level Gastrostomy Kit item numbers encode the French size and stoma length in a straightforward format. The first two digits indicate the French size (71 = 12FR, 72 = 14FR wait no... let me look at the actual codes): looking at the size chart, the item numbers follow a pattern where the first three digits represent the French size (712 = 12FR, 714 = 14FR, 716 = 16FR, 718 = 18FR, 720 = 20FR, 724 = 24FR) and the last three digits represent the stoma length in 0.1cm increments (150 = 1.5cm, 170 = 1.7cm, 300 = 3.0cm, etc.). To select the correct kit: (1) confirm the French size from your prescriber's order — do not change French size without clinical guidance, as the tube must fit the established gastrostomy tract; (2) confirm the stoma length from the most recent clinical measurement — stoma length is the depth from the skin surface to the gastric wall and must be matched precisely; a tube too short causes pressure on the skin; a tube too long causes internal movement and granulation; (3) match both values to the size chart above to find the correct item number. Not all French size and stoma length combinations are available — the 14 available configurations in the size chart cover the most commonly needed combinations. If your prescriber has specified a combination not shown in the chart, call us at 1-866-218-0902 before ordering.

Questions about the Kangaroo Skin Level Gastrostomy Kit, size selection, or Kangaroo enteral accessories? Call our product specialists: 1-866-218-0902  |  Mon–Fri 9am–5pm, Sat 9am–3pm EST