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.

The present invention relates to a system device and method for monitoring infant oral motor kinetics (OMK), which can be used to assess the functional significance of the different sucking components, i.e., the plasticity of infant sucking skills in relation to their oral feeding performance, at a particular time, during the developmental period and/or during preventive or therapeutic intervention programs. It is a unique system and apparatus that provides a means to study the nonnutritive and/or nutritive sucking skills, i.e., the Suction and/or Expression components of sucking, of infants in the natural setting, i.e., during a normal feeding session. OMK sensors, tracked in real-time by the monitoring system, include miniature pressure transducers, or pressure sensitive pads, attached to the nipple for measuring intraoral pressure pulses during Suction, and for measuring compression/stripping pressure pulses during Expression; and a miniature flow sensor for measuring fluid flow rate, which can be integrated over time to determine the volume of milk removed (bolus) per suck. Other signals, such as respiration, swallowing, thermal, optical, and acoustic signals can be recorded and compared along with the instrumented-nipple signals, in an OMK monitoring system.

A system for monitoring Gastro-intestinal disorders including: a gastro-intestinal probe; at least one sensor configured to measure a parameter of the patient; a processor configured to: determine a first and second values corresponding to a given time interval, wherein the first value is determined based on a measurement of the parameter and the second value is determined based on a measurement of gastro-esophageal content corresponding to the given time interval; and determine a level of gastro-intestinal disorder based on the determined set of pairs of values.

A swallowable cell sampling device comprising an abrasive material capable of collecting cells from the surface of the oesophagus is described. The swallowable cell sampling device may include an apparatus for retrieval comprising a cord. Moreover, the cord may be attached to the abrasive material with a hitch knot. Additionally, kits and methods involving the same are described.

A method of detecting and measuring the condition of intraluminal esophageal mucosa. An esophagus is intubated with a catheter including an inflatable and deflatable balloon and one or more impedance sensing electrodes on an exterior surface of the catheter. The balloon is inflated to press the impedance sensing electrode(s) into a mucosa of the interior esophageal wall. An electric current is directed through the mucosa via the impedance sensing electrode(s) while the impedance sensing electrode(s) is/are pressed by the balloon against the mucosa and measure impedance of the mucosa.

According to one aspect, an implantable medical device may include an anchor assembly configured to anchor the medical device to a body lumen. The implantable medical device may also include a capsule. The capsule may include a pH sensor. The pH sensor may be configured to measure a pH of contents within the body lumen. The capsule may also include a power source, a controller, and an impedance sensor. The impedance sensor may be configured to measure an impedance within the body lumen.

An example assembly for use with a vacuum system and an esophageal positioning device esophageal positioning device includes an introducer, in which the esophageal positioning device includes a handle, a first segment, a second segment and an articulation driving mechanism. The first segment being coupled to the handle. The second segment being pivotally connected to the first segment. The articulation driving mechanism being configured to pivot the second segment about the first segment upon articulation.

An esophageal monitoring device includes a camera and, optionally, one or more lights to enable visualization of an interior of a subject's esophagus. Visualization of the interior of the subject's esophagus before and after a left atrial ablation procedure may enable a healthcare provider to determine whether or not the left atrial ablation procedure has damaged the subject's esophagus before the subject experiences any symptoms of such damage. An esophageal monitoring device may also include sensors and/or markers that enable a determination of its location within a subject's esophagus. Such an esophageal monitoring device may be configured for three-dimensional mapping, and enable the generation of an accurate three-dimensional map of the physical relationship between a subject's esophagus and the left atrium of his or her heart. Methods of monitoring a subject's esophagus while a left atrial ablation procedure is being conducted on the subject's hear are also disclosed.

An example assembly for use with a vacuum system and an esophageal positioning device esophageal positioning device includes an introducer, in which the esophageal positioning device includes a handle, a first segment, a second segment and an articulation driving mechanism. The first segment being coupled to the handle. The second segment being pivotally connected to the first segment. The articulation driving mechanism being configured to pivot the second segment about the first segment upon articulation.

The present invention relates to an organ classification system, and the system for classifying the type of an organ may comprise: a search unit for searching an input image for a frame where an image regarding an organ starts, on the basis of a plurality of organ images pre-learned according to types of organs; an obtainment unit for obtaining an image of a found frame from the input image; and a storage unit for storing location information of the found frame in the input image.