Adapters for a connector assembly for percutaneous tubing are provided. A male adapter (FIG. 22a, 1000) includes a connector fitting (1002) proximate a first end, the connector fitting configured to join to a connector for a tubing system or device, and a male connector (656) proximate a second end. The male connector includes a plug end with a fluid lumen defined therethrough, the plug end having a circumferential groove defined therein to receive a locking extension of a female connector sized to be received within the circumferential groove of the plug end to allow the female connector to rotate relative to and maintain axial engagement with the male connector when the locking extension is received within the groove. An adapter having a female connector (FIG. 24, 1300) is also provided.

A tubing assembly for use in conjunction with electronic catheter guidance systems is provided and includes a catheter and a sensor. The catheter extends in a longitudinal direction and has a proximal end and a distal end that define a lumen therebetween. Further, the catheter is configured for placement within a digestive tract of a patient. The sensor includes a temperature sensor, relative humidity sensor, or both, and can be located within the lumen of the catheter or in an air sampling chamber connected to the catheter. The sensor can communicate with a processor to deliver temperature and/or relative humidity readings to a display device. A constant temperature or relative humidity profile, or both after a pre-determined amount of time can indicate placement of the catheter in the digestive tract. A catheter guidance system and a method for accurately placing a catheter in the digestive tract are also provided.

A tubing assembly for use in conjunction with electronic catheter guidance systems is provided and includes a catheter and steering apparatus. The catheter has a proximal end and a distal end that define a lumen therebetween and extends in a longitudinal direction. The steering apparatus includes an electrical connection and a sheath. Further, the sheath includes an electroactive polymer layer, and the sheath's proximal end is coupled to the distal end of the electrical connection, where the steering apparatus is located within the lumen of the catheter. Activation of the electroactive polymer layer results in a change in dimension of the sheath, which initiates a change in a direction in which the catheter travels within a patient's body to assist in accurate placement of the catheter at a desired location. A catheter guidance system and a method for steering a catheter during its placement inside a body are also provided.

A nasogastric tube structure is disclosed which comprises a first tube, a clamping member and a positioning member. The first tube has a front necking opening, a rear opening, a stopper ring on a wall thereof adjacent to the rear opening and an engaging groove on the wall thereof adjacent to the stopper ring. The clamping member comprises two corresponding positioning segments and a C-shaped clip portion for connecting the two positioning segments and engaging with the engaging groove. The positioning member is sleeved on the two positioning segments.

Connector assembly (FIG. 4a) includes a shell (210), a connector body (230), and a plug (250). The shell (210) has a sidewall (212) defining an interior, a first shell end having a first opening (214) defined therein, and a second shell end having a second opening (216) defined therein, each of the first (214) and second openings (216) in communication with the interior to receive percutaneous tubing therethrough, the shell (210) further having an engagement portion. The connector body (230) has a first body end (234) and a second body end (236) with a tube lumen defined therethrough, the first body end (234) having a connector tip (237), the connector body (230) having an engaging portion to engage the engagement portion of the shell (210). The plug (250) has a first plug end and a second plug end with a fluid lumen defined therethrough, the first plug end having a plug tip (257) extending therefrom.

A nasogastric tube comprising at least one main lumen and at least one vacuum lumen comprising at least one suction port for sealingly drawing an inner wall of an esophagus thereagainst, said at least one suction port has a unique concave structure which substantially prevents tissue damage is provided.

A computer-implemented method of treating a patient's and automated enteral feeding, comprising: monitoring a plurality of reflux-related parameters and at least one reflux event while the patient is automatically enterally fed by an enteral feeding controller according to a baseline feeding profile including a target nutritional goal, training a classifier component of a model for predicting likelihood of a future reflux event according to an input of scheduled and/or predicted plurality of reflux-related parameters, the classifier trained according to computed correlations between the plurality of reflux-related parameters and the at least one reflux event, feeding scheduled and/or predicted reflux-related parameters into the trained classifier component of the model for outputting risk of likelihood of a future reflux event, and computing, by the model, an adjustment to the baseline feeding profile for reducing likelihood of the future reflux event and for meeting the target nutritional goal.

There is provided a system for managing reflux during an enteral feeding, comprising: (i) a non-transitory memory having stored thereon a code for execution by at least one hardware processor of a computing device, the code comprising: code for receiving electrical signals outputted by at least one reflux event sensor disposed within a digestive system of a patient; code for determining a gastric reflux event based on an analysis of the electrical signals; code for outputting instructions to pause enteral feeding of the patient by a feeding controller that regulates enteral feeding of the patient using an enteral feeding tube positioned within the digestive system of the patient; and (ii) an evacuation controller that directs back-flow of digestive contents from the digestive system of the patient to an external evacuation reservoir through an evacuation tube.

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.

Methods, systems, and devices are described for fabricating, providing, and using an orogastric tube. The orogastric tube may have, among other things: a proximal end section; a distal end section opposite the proximal end section and having a flexible, resilient curved portion; at least one sump channel extending from the proximal end section along a pre-determined length of the orogastric tube into the distal end section; at least one suction channel extending from the proximal end section along a pre-determined length of the orogastric tube into the distal end section; and optionally at least one balloon channel extending from the proximal end section along a pre-determined length of the orogastric tube to the distal end section. The optional balloon channel is in communication with an expandable balloon in the distal end section; and a main channel encloses a pre-determined length of the sump channel, the suction channel, and, if present, the balloon channel.