A system comprising a nasogastric tube comprising a feeding mechanism, a suction mechanism configured to sealingly draw an inner wall of an esophagus against said nasogastric tube, and a gastric decompression mechanism.

A computer-implemented method of adjusting enteral feeding of a patient by an enteral feeding controller, comprising: computing an estimate of energy expenditure of the patient based on oxygen measurements and carbon dioxide measurements of the patient, computing a target composition and target feeding rate for the enteral feeding according to the computed estimate of energy expenditure, when the target composition and target feeding rate differ from a current enteral feeding composition and feeding rate by a requirement, generating instructions for adjustment, by an enteral feeding controller, of the rate of delivery of the enteral feeding according to the target composition, wherein the receiving the oxygen measurement, receiving the carbon dioxide measurement, and computing the estimate of energy expenditure are performing iteratively for every first time interval, and the generating instructions for adjustment are performed for a second time interval that is larger than the first time interval.

There is provided a method comprising: computing a target nutritional goal to reach at an end of a time interval based on a real time energy expenditure of a patient, wherein the target nutritional goal comprises a volume to be delivered (VTBD) by the end of the time interval corresponding to a target amount of energy expenditure of the patient over the time interval, computing a target feeding profile defining a target feeding rate for enteral feeding of the patient for reaching the VTBD by the end of the time interval, continuously monitoring the real time energy expenditure, adapting the target nutritional goal and corresponding VTBD to compute a maximum VTBD to reach at the end of the time interval according to the monitoring, and dynamically adapting the target feeding rate and the corresponding target feeding profile for a remaining portion of the time interval for reaching the maximum VTBD.

There is provided a system for monitoring transpulmonary pressure of a mechanically ventilated individual, comprising: a feeding tube, at least one esophageal body, a pressure sensor, and a memory having stored thereon code for: computing an estimate of esophageal wall pressure according to pressure in the esophageal body when inflated and contacting the inner wall of the esophagus, computing the transpulmonary pressure of the mechanically ventilated target individual according to the esophageal wall pressure, periodically inflating and deflating the esophageal body for periodic monitoring of the transpulmonary pressure of the mechanically ventilated target patient while the feeding tube is in use, and computing instructions for adjustment of parameter(s) of a mechanical ventilator that automatically ventilates the target individual according to the computed transpulmonary pressure, wherein the instructions for adjustment of parameter(s) of the mechanical ventilator are computed while the feeding tube is in place without removal of the feeding tube.

There is provided system for monitoring spontaneous breathing of a mechanically ventilated target individual, comprising: a feeding tube for insertion into a distal end of an esophagus of the individual, sensor(s) disposed on the feeding tube at a location such that the sensor(s) is located at the distal end of the esophagus of the individual when the feeding tube is in use, wherein the sensor(s) is positioned for sensing values by contact with the tissue of the esophagus including a lower esophageal sphincter (LES) and/or tissue in proximity to the LES, and code for computing an indication of a frequency band of diaphragm movement of the individual according to an analysis of values sensed by the sensor(s), and for adjustment of parameter(s) of a mechanical ventilator for mechanically ventilating the individual, wherein the instructions for adjustment are computed while the feeding tube is in use.

Disclosed is an active inserted gastric tube with an intra-body communication function, including a tube body, a pulse module, an intra-body communication module and a control module. The pulse module is arranged at a front end of the tube body, and is configured to generate a pulse signal. the intra-body communication module is configured to receive the pulse signal generated by the pulse module and transmit the pulse signal to the control module. The control module is configured to analyze the received pulse signal. In this way, the pulse signal is generated by the pulse module, and the gastric tube is inserted into the esophagus through the tube body. The pulse signal is transmitted through a human body to realize an intra-body communication. The control module analyzes the pulse signal transmitted through the human body, so as to identify whether the tube body is inserted into the esophagus or trachea.

There is provided system for monitoring spontaneous breathing of a mechanically ventilated target individual, including: a feeding tube for insertion into a distal end of an esophagus of the individual, sensor(s) disposed on the feeding tube at a location such that the sensor(s) is located at the distal end of the esophagus of the individual when the feeding tube is in use, wherein the sensor(s) is positioned for sensing values by contact with the tissue of the esophagus including a lower esophageal sphincter (LES) and/or tissue in proximity to the LES, and code for computing an indication of a frequency band of diaphragm movement of the individual according to an analysis of values sensed by the sensor(s), and for adjustment of parameter(s) of a mechanical ventilator for mechanically ventilating the individual, wherein the instructions for adjustment are computed while the feeding tube is in use.

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.

An apparatus for monitoring for accumulation of lung fluid comprises a feeding tube having first electrode(s) positioned thereon for electrical contact with tissue of an esophagus of a target patient including a lower esophageal sphincter (LES) and/or tissue in proximity to the LES, second electrode(s) sized and shaped for contacting skin of the target patient, and a non-transitory memory having stored thereon code instructions for applying alternating current(s) to pair(s) of first and second electrodes, measuring a voltage over the pair(s), and computing an estimate of a change of lung fluid relative to a baseline in lung(s) of the target patient according to the applied alternating current and measured voltage, wherein the applying, the measuring, and the computing the estimate of the change in lung fluid are iteratively executed for monitoring the target patient for accumulation of lung fluid while the feeding tube is in use.

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.