A nasogastric tube (10) including a main lumen (12) having one or more proximal connectors (14) for connecting to a source of substances or pressure, and one or more vacuum lumens (16) peripherally surrounding the main lumen (12), each vacuum lumen (16) including a vacuum sealing portion (24), which includes one or more suction ports (26) for sealingly drawing an inner wall of an esophagus thereagainst.

An improved double lumen neonatal feeding tube has a dedicated feeding lumen coupled to a dedicated venting lumen, together forming a single tube. The feeding lumen has one or more feeding holes and the venting lumen has multiple venting holes at a position higher on the tube than the feeding holes. The inclusion of a dedicated venting lumen allows for constant venting even during times when the feeding lumen is in use for feeding.

The invention provides systems and methods for reducing injury to patients by dislodgement of implanted or attached medical tubing. The inventive systems and methods provide medical tubing with a releasable magnetic connection. When a stretching force is applied to the medical tubing that would cause the implanted or attached portion to be pulled or separated from the patient, the medical tubing instead separates at the point of the releasable magnetic connection, preventing the force from reaching the portion of the tubing implanted in or attached to the patient, thereby reducing the risk of injury to the patient. The releasable magnetic connection allows the tubing to be easily reconnected once the stretching force on the tubing has been terminated.

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 laryngeal mask apparatus to ventilate a patient and also suck in fluids and secretions in the patient's hypopharyngeal region. The laryngeal mask apparatus has a mask, a flexible breathing tube in communication with the mask and a suction tube which has a plurality of suctioning ports that face the back of the patient's throat when the mask is inserted into the patient's throat. When suction is created within the suction tube, fluids and secretions in the patient's hypopharyngeal region are sucked into the plurality of suction ports. The laryngeal mask apparatus also has a flexible air capillary tube positioned within the interior of the suction tube to provide an air flow that decreases the direct suction forces on the mucosa of the patient's throat that are caused by the suction of the plurality of suction ports.

A medical device for providing direct port-like endoscopic access to the urinary bladder, or other orifice, of a patient and a method of utilizing and inserting the medical device. The medical device can include a hollow tube with a main channel and a separate channel, a cap with an inflation port and a hollow flexible stem fluidly connecting the inflation port and the separate channel. A method can include inserting a needle above the pubic symphysis of a mammal, threading a guide wire through the needle, removing the needle and inserting the medical device. The method can optionally include determining measuring the depth between the skin surface of the patient's suprapubic region and urinary bladder.

A gastrostomy device (100) comprises a gastrostomy tube (200) having a retainer lumen (235) extending between a proximal part and a distal part of the tube (200); and an inflatable retaining element (300) coupled to the tube (200) at the distal part. An interior space of the retaining element (300) is in fluid communication with the retainer lumen (300). The gastrostomy device (100) also comprises an indicator (410) being in fluid communication with the retainer lumen (235) at the proximal part of the tube (200). The indicator (410) is configured for indicating a pressure in the retaining element (300) continuously within a range from a pressure corresponding to an empty retaining element (300) to an optimal pressure for the inflated retaining element (300).

Gastrojejunal (GJ) tube apparatuses and methods for using the same where the GJ tube apparatuses having a plurality of tubes forming lumens within the apparatus and including a guidance tube having a closed end which is exposed by cutting off a portion of the GJ tube apparatus and which allows for insertion of a guide wire therethrough to assist in the placement of a new GJ tube such as when the existing tube becomes clogged or blocked.

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.

The present invention includes an indwelling tube having a plurality of projections extending outwardly from an exterior surface of the tube and a retention member designed to receive the tube. The retention member includes a projection passage to enable the retention member to receive and pass projections through the passage when the projection and passage are aligned so that the retention member can slide axially along the tube. When the projections and passage are out of alignment, the retention member can be secured between two projections. The present invention enables accurate placement of the retention member along the tube to aid in securing the tube at a desired depth in a patient's body. In a certain embodiment, the retention member may include a locking passage to receive and temporarily secure a projection to the retention member.