An apparatus 100 for use in tube feeding comprises a cylindrical body 110 provided with a first opening 120 and a second opening 130 connected by a flow channel 140. The body 110 comprises reagent 111, for determining a characteristic of fluid disposed in the body and a transparent window 112 through which the reagent 111 is visible. In use, a first end of an enternal feeding tube releasably engages with the first opening 120. The second, distal end of said feeding tube is disposed inside a patient to be fed. A second feeding tube engages with the second opening 130. The second feeding tube connects the apparatus 100 to a bi-directional pump operable: to pump enternal fluid from a reservoir, through the apparatus and into the enternal feeding tube; and to pump fluid from the patient into the body 110 of the apparatus 100. This allows a user to pump fluid from the patient into the body 110 of the apparatus 100 to react with the reagent 111. This thereby provides an indication of the acidity of the fluid and hence whether the second end of the feeding tube is disposed in the patent's stomach before commencing feeding.

A system for positioning of a naso/orogastric feeding tube. The system comprises an interface adapted to receive a combined impedance measure comprising a plurality of impedance readings from a plurality of impedance sensors disposed in a plurality of segments along a lateral surface of a naso/orogastric feeding tube; wherein one of the plurality of segments is located to be at least 1 centimeters above another of the plurality of segments when the naso/orogastric feeding tube is in a feeding position, a code store for storing a code, a processor coupled to the interface and the program store for implementing the stored code, the code comprising code to calculate an estimation of a position of the naso/orogastric feeding tube according to the combined impedance measure, and code to generate instructions for a caregiver to relocate the naso/orogastric feeding tube according to the estimation.

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.

There is provided a computer-implemented method for calculating a gastric emptying rate from a stomach lumen into a small intestine of a patient, comprising: using at least one processor for executing the following during an enteral tube feeding of a stomach of the patient by a feeding mechanism: analyzing outputs of at least one stomach sensor located within the stomach for detecting a stop feeding condition; pausing the enteral tube feeding in response to a detection of the stop feeding condition; after a predefined period of time, restarting the enteral tube feeding until the stop condition is redetected by an analysis of said outputs; calculating a gastric emptying rate based on an amount of feeding content delivered during a period between the restarting and the redetection; and instructing the feeding mechanism to adapt a feeding rate of the enteral tube feeding according to the gastric emptying rate.

Detection of fluid conditions in an administration set. A light source is positioned to transmit an infrared light through administration set tubing and any fluid therein. A light sensor senses the infrared light transmitted through the tubing and generates an output signal. A frequency of the output signal is a function of an intensity of the light transmitted through the tubing. A processor receives and determines the frequency of the output signal, and compares the determined frequency to threshold frequency values to determine whether fluid is in the tubing. The processor also monitors the generated output signal to determine if the frequency of the output signal changes over time, and determines whether fluid is flowing in the tubing as a function of the determined change in frequency.

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 feeding tube with an inflatable balloon component and at least one of (1) a carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) sampling line, (2) a suction tube component, (3) a pH sensor, and (4) an electromagnetic sensor is disclosed. A kit containing the feeding tubing and at least one of (1) a carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) sampling line, (2) a suction tube component, (3) a pH sensor, and (4) an electromagnetic sensor, and a method for intubating a patient to deliver the feeding tube to a desired location for delivering nutrients and/or medication to the patient are also disclosed.

A feeding tube assembly comprising a feeding tube body and an optical system. The feeding tube body includes an administration lumen and an optical lumen. The optical lumen is isolated relative to the administration lumen, with the distal end opening corresponding to the distal opening of the administration lumen. The optical system includes an optical element and an end dispersion element. The optical element is positioned within the optical lumen and the first end of the optical element is attachable to a fiber optic line. The end dispersion element is positioned at the second end of the optical element and is structurally configured to disperse light transmitted through the optical element.

A high rate pump system for tube feeding having at least a liquid reservoir, a motorized pump with a power supply and at least an on/off control, a tube-feeding connector; and at least one segment of tubing in liquid communication from the reservoir through the pump to the connector, wherein the pump, power supply, and at least one tubing segment are configured to deliver over one liter of liquid nutritional product per hour from the reservoir to the connector.

Disclosed is a system and method for the placement of elongate medical members within a patient's body using coaptive ultrasound that combines magnetic guidance with ultrasound visualization of the medical member in the patient's body. A coaptive ultrasound probe adaptor magnetically attracts an elongate medical member within the patient with sufficient force so as to allow the operator to manually guide the member to its intended location. The adaptor mates with an ultrasound probe to provide the medical operator ultrasound feedback of the position of the member, thus allowing internal placement without the need for more specialized medical equipment.