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.

There is provided a system for monitoring a heart of a subject and monitoring impedance-related parameters, comprising: a feeding tube, an electrode disposed(s) on a distal end of the feeding tube, a controller that performs, while the feeding tube is in located in an esophagus and feeding is delivered to a subject via the feeding tube, in a plurality of iterations: continuously measuring voltage at the electrode(s) of the feeding tube, applying alternating current(s) between the electrode(s) of the feeding tube and at least one other electrode, computing impedance measurement(s) from the electrode(s) of the feeding tube according to the applied alternating current(s) and the measured voltage, computing impedance-related parameter(s) based on the impedance measurement(s), terminating the application of the alternating current(s), obtaining an electrocardiogram (ECG) measurement based on the voltage measured at the electrode(s) of the feeding tube, and providing the impedance-related parameter(s) and the ECG measurement.

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 butyric acid detection based platform for verifying placement of a patient airway device or a gastric tube comprising at least one of i) a colorimetric based butyric acid detection platform, ii) a bioelectronic sensors based butyric acid detection platform using olfactory receptors, and iii) an IR based butyric acid detection platform. Each platform comprises a housing coupled to the patient airway device or gastric tube whereby flow from the coupled patient airway device or a gastric tube can flow through an internal passage of the housing; and wherein sensors within the housing come into contact with the flow from the coupled patient airway device or a gastric tube, the sensors including at least one of a chemical sensor array including at least one of i) colorimetric based butyric acid sensor, ii) a bioelectronic butyric acid detection sensor using olfactory receptors, and iii) an IR based butyric acid sensor.

A system for measuring cardiovascular data includes an elongate member having a channel, a first expandable member carried by the elongate member and movable between a collapsed state and an expanded state by adjustment initiated externally of a subject, a first sensor disposed on a surface of the elongate member, second and third sensors disposed on a surface of the first expandable, a first optical sensor located at a first location in relation to the distal end of the elongate member and configured for obtaining photoplethysmographic data, and wherein the first expandable member in its expanded state is configured to interface with the subject's larynx for delivery of at least oxygen gas into the respiratory system of the subject, and the second and third sensors are configured to contact tissue in proximity to the larynx when the first expandable member is in its expanded state.

A system can automatically adjust flow rates/feeding regimen of a feeding pump feeding fluids/enteral nutrition to a patient. The system can, based upon a prescribed volume of nutrition or nutritional targets (such as and not limited to energy (calories), protein etc.) to be delivered and a prescribed delivery duration, adjust the pump flow rate/feeding regimen following unexpected delivery interruptions to achieve at or near to the prescribed total volume/nutritional targets to be delivered, despite the interruptions.

A medical pump, comprising: a fluid housing having a plurality of intake openings, sealed by at least one intake valve, and an outlet opening sealed by an outlet valve; a piston which is sealing the fluid housing and connected to a drive mechanism, the drive mechanism pulls the piston to draw fluid from one of the plurality of intake openings and pushes the piston to discharge the fluid into the outlet opening; and a selecting valve enclosing at least two tubes, each providing fluid to one of the plurality of intake openings, wherein the selecting valve closes one of the at least two tubes while opening another of the at least two tubes.

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.

Tube tip detection systems, enteral tubes, and methods for detecting tube misplacement in a patient's airway are provided. For example, a tube tip detection system comprises an enteral tube having a tip, a first sensing component disposed at the tip, and a feedback display. Feedback from the first sensing component is displayed on the feedback display to indicate to a user of the tube tip detection system whether the tip is misplaced in a patient's airway. Similarly, an enteral tube comprises a tip, a length, and a sensing component. The sensing component is a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) infrared carbon dioxide sensor. Further, a detection method comprises embedding a carbon dioxide sensing component into an enteral tube, inserting the enteral tube into the patient through the patient's nose or mouth, and monitoring feedback from the carbon dioxide sensing component to determine if the enteral tube is traveling into the patient's airway.