System for percutaneous drainage of a drainage site includes a catheter, a drain tube, a first pump, a flush tube, a second pump, and a controller. The catheter includes a drain lumen defined by a first portion of a catheter wall and a septum, and a flush lumen defined by a second portion of the catheter wall and the septum. The flush lumen is separated from the drain lumen by the septum. The septum has at least one septal hole disposed therein such that the drain lumen and the flush lumen are in communication via the at least one septal hole. The catheter wall has at least one wall hole disposed therein such that the drain lumen is in communication with the drainage site when the distal end portion of the catheter is placed within the drainage site.

The embodiments disclosed herein relate to catheter assemblies. The catheter assemblies can include a multi-lumen catheter, a junction hub, and extension legs. The catheter assemblies can also include a sheath that includes a membrane that is permeable to one or more gases and impermeable to one or more liquids or solids. The catheter assemblies can be configured to deliver food to a patient through a first lumen, and simultaneously vent or aspirate one or more gases from the patient through a second lumen. The catheter assemblies can also include preformed catheters that assume a non-linear three-dimensional shape when in a relaxed state.

A long, thin, flexible medical apparatus, a kit including such an apparatus, and a method for employing the apparatus to assist in placing a distal portion of a lumen of a gastric tube in a stomach of a mammal. The apparatus comprises an elongate body portion, a handle portion fixed to a proximal end of the body portion, and a distal tip portion fixed to a distal end of the body portion. An ability to insert the body and distal tip portions into the gastric tube over the length of the long, thin, flexible structure provides a positive indication that the lumen is not blocked, obstructed, or otherwise compromised over that length. pH indicator sensors may be retained by the distal tip portion to exhibit a verifiable color change in response to contact with a predetermined subject fluid, such as gastric fluid, lung fluid, or another bodily fluid.

A naso/orogastric device having backflow blocking means and comprises a naso/orogastric tube sized and shaped for being disposed within the esophagus so that at least a distal end thereof being placed in the stomach lumen of a patient, at least one elastic esophageal body, positioned along the naso/orogastric tube, having a pressure dependent volume, at least one esophageal sensor that detects fluid around at least one segment of the naso/orogastric tube, and a pressure regulator that regulates a pressure within the elastic esophageal body according to the detection.

A device for snugging a balloon of a catheter against an inner wall of an intra-corporeal lumen or surface serviced by the catheter includes a hollow column having a top end and a bottom end, forming a throughway sized to accommodate a tube of the catheter, and a flange extending from the bottom end of the hollow column generally perpendicularly to length of the hollow column. A slit is formed in the hollow column and the flange through which the hollow column is connectable to the tube of the catheter. The catheter is tugged to contact the balloon to the inner wall of the lumen, and the device is fixed to the tube of the catheter atop the skin of a body serviced by the catheter to tension pressure of the balloon against the inner wall.

Disclosed is an NGT system, the system comprises a nasogastric tube having a diameter and length configured to pass through an esophagus such that the lumen of the NGT maintains fluid communication with a portion of the digestive tract, and a digestive tract sensor operatively associated with the NGT, the digestive tract sensor configured to sense from inside the body and transmit signals in response to one or both of conditions relating to nourishment states of the digestive tract, and positioning of the NGT.

A system (100) for artificially feeding a patient, comprising: a pressure sensor (114) fluidly connectable to an inflatable balloon (B) via a first lumen of a balloon catheter (130); a controller (110) operatively connected to the pressure sensor (114) for obtaining the measured pressure values; a food pump (112) fluidly connectable to a second lumen of the balloon catheter having at lea st one opening (132) for providing food; the controller (110) operatively connected to the food pump (112) for driving the food pump at a configurable flow rate; wherein the controller (110) contains computer executable instructions comprising: first code fragments for performing a first algorithm (1300) for extracting gastric motility information from the measured pressure values, and second code fragments for performing a second algorithm for dynamically adjusting (708) said flow rate based on said extracted gastric motility information.

There is provided feeding tubes including an electromagnetic sensor including a sensor body comprising a core positioned at a distal end of the sensor lumen, and a wire extending along the length of the feeding tube, wherein an RF induced heating of the feeding tube in an MRI environment is below 5 degrees.

Systems, apparatus, and methods for placing an elongated tube within a patient's body are described herein. In some embodiments, an apparatus includes an elongated tube, a magnetic tip, and an inflatable member. The elongated tube can have a first end and a second end, and can define a first lumen and a second lumen. The first lumen can extend from the first end to the second end. The magnetic tip can be coupled to the first end of the elongated tube. The magnetic tip can be tapered toward a distal end of the magnetic tip. An inflatable member can be disposed within the elongated tube proximal of the tapered magnetic tip and fluidically coupled to the second lumen such that the inflatable member can receive fluid via the second lumen.

A laryngeal mask apparatus includes a mask portion, a breathing tube and a suction tube. The suction tube is adapted for connection to a suction-producing device. The suction tube further includes suction ports that suck fluids and secretions from the patient's hypopharyngeal region when suction is created within the interior of the suction tube. The breathing tube is adapted for connection to a ventilating system. Air flows through the breathing tube and into the mask portion. A capillary tube is positioned within the interior of the suction tube. When the mask portion is positioned within a patient's throat and suction is created within interior of the suction tube, the suction ports suck the fluids and secretions in the patient's hypopharyngeal region. At the same time, the suction tube and capillary tube cooperate to provide a stream of air that decreases the direct suction forces on the mucosa of the patient's throat that are caused by the suction ports. The laryngeal mask apparatus includes a scope tube having an interior and an inner tube disposed within the interior of the scope tube. The inner tube is sized for receiving a gastric tube.