NASOGASTRIC TUBE

Abstract

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.

Claims

1. A method for supplying substances or pressure to the stomach and/or duodenum of a patient, while sealing the esophagus against reflux; the method comprising: introducing a tube through an esophagus of the patient, said tube comprising a main lumen having one or more proximal connectors connectable to a source of substances or pressure and multiple vacuum lumens peripherally surrounding said main lumen, each said vacuum lumen comprising a vacuum sealing portion, comprising a plurality of suction ports and applying vacuum to said one or more suction ports so as to draw an inner wall of the esophagus thereagainst, thereby disabling reflux.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising regulating the vacuum so that a suction level is not constant over time in said vacuum sealing portions.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said tube comprises more than one vacuum sealing portion.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising regulating vacuum to said more than one vacuum sealing portions.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein regulating vacuum to said more than one vacuum sealing portion comprises regulating the vacuum so as to create peristaltic movement or other oscillatory movement of the esophagus.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein applying the vacuum restricts at least 60% of passage through the esophagus.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising supplying substances or pressure to the stomach and/or duodenum of the patient through a distal opening of said tube, while the esophagus being sealed against said vacuum sealing portion.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] The present invention will be understood and appreciated more fully from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings in which:

[0016] FIG. 1 is a simplified schematic illustration of a nasogastric tube, constructed and operative in accordance with a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention;

[0017] FIG. 2 is a simplified sectional illustration of the NGT of FIG. 1, taken along lines II-II in FIG. 1;

[0018] FIG. 3 is a simplified schematic illustration of the nasogastric tube being used to suck and seal the inner wall of the esophagus against the NGT, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] FIG. 4 is an illustration of the nasogastric tube of FIG. 1 having the vacuum lumens as a separate unit from the main lumen and which is slid over the main lumen.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0020] Reference is now made to FIGS. 1 and 2, which illustrate a nasogastric tube 10, constructed and operative in accordance with a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] NGT 10 includes a main (typically, but not necessarily, central) lumen 12. Main lumen 12 may be used to feed and administer drugs and other oral agents, and may also be used for sucking fluids from the stomach. As such, as is known in the art, main lumen 12 may be a double lumen, one lumen for feeding and the other lumen for suction (not to be confused with the vacuum lumens mentioned later). Main lumen 12 is provided with one or more suitable proximal connectors 14 for connecting to a source of substances for feeding or administering, and optionally to a source of pressure (e.g., suction), as is known in the art.

[0022] NGT 10 includes one or more vacuum lumens 16 that peripherally surround main lumen 12. The term “peripherally surround” as used in the description and claims, encompasses continuous surrounding (no gaps between the vacuum lumens or one continuous, peripheral vacuum lumen) and discontinuous surrounding (wherein there are separations between discrete vacuum lumens), In one embodiment, illustrated in FIG. 2, there are four vacuum lumens 16 peripherally spaced around main lumen 12; the invention is not limited to this number of vacuum lumens. The vacuum lumens 16 may be equally or unequally spaced from each other. Main lumen 12 and vacuum lumens 16 are thus arranged as concentrically arranged conduits. Vacuum lumens 16 are connected to a vacuum source 18, such as via a pressure regulator 20 and a valve 22, which form a vacuum control unit.

[0023] Main lumen 12 may be constructed from any suitable biocompatible material, such as but not limited to, polyurethane, silicone, polyvinyl chloride and many others. The vacuum lumens 16 may be constructed of similar materials, but alternatively may be constructed of medically safe metals, such as but not limited to, stainless steel, titanium alloys, NITINOL and others. Generally, without limitation, main lumen 12 may have a length in the range of 50 to 130 cm, with an outside diameter in the range of 5-12 Fr.

[0024] The main lumen 12 and the vacuum lumens 16 may be constructed as one unit. Alternatively, vacuum lumens 16 may be a separate unit which is slid over main lumen 12, as illustrated at FIG. 4, after insertion of main lumen 12 into the patient. As another alternative, vacuum lumens 16 may be first introduced into the patient, and main lumen 12 may be slid through the vacuum lumens 16.

[0025] Each vacuum lumen 16 includes a vacuum sealing portion 24, which includes one or more suction ports 26. As seen in FIG. 1, some vacuum lumens 16 may have more suction ports than others. As seen in FIG. 3, upon application of vacuum from vacuum source 18, the inner wall of the esophagus is drawn by negative pressure towards and against suction ports 26 (the outer contour of NGT 10). The outer contour of NGT 10, at least at vacuum sealing portion 24, is preferably round (circular or oval), for better conforming to and sealing the esophagus. In one embodiment, the vacuum sealing restricts at least 60% of the passage through the esophagus.

[0026] Pressure regulator 20 may be used to reduce or otherwise regulate the negative pressure from vacuum source 18. For example, pressure regulator 20 may be used to match the vacuum level from vacuum source 18 to the vacuum level needed in vacuum sealing portion 24. The valve 22 may be used to shift the vacuum between the different vacuum lumens 16 so that the suction level is not constant over time in the vacuum sealing portion 24, which may provide variability in how the esophagus wall is sucked in, and for how long.

[0027] NGT 10 may be provided with different numbers of vacuum sealing portions 24 and suction ports 26, and the vacuum to the sealing portions 24 may be regulated so as to create peristaltic movement or other oscillatory movement of the esophagus.

[0028] In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, one or more auxiliary suction ports 33 are provided proximal to vacuum sealing portion 24. Since vacuum sealing portion 24 seals off the esophagus, any oropharyngeal secretions, such as saliva, may accumulate above (i.e., proximal to) vacuum sealing portion 24. Auxiliary suction ports 33 may be used to suck and remove such secretions.

[0029] Vacuum source 18 is preferably activated following the insertion and localization of NGT 10 in the esophagus in order to reduce the risk of VAP, or other bacterial infections, by preventing or minimizing reflux food and liquid aspiration into the lungs.

[0030] One method of using NGT 10 of the present invention includes the following steps, without limitation and not necessarily in sequential order:

[0031] a) introducing NGT 10 into the esophagus of the subject;

[0032] b) applying vacuum to the vacuum sealing portion(s) 24;

[0033] c) adjusting the vacuum level (which may be done before step a); and

[0034] d) after achieving a desired sealing of the esophagus wall to NGT 10, changing the vacuum intervals between the vacuum lumens 16, manually or automatically, such that NGT 10 remains intact to the esophagus.

[0035] It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited by what has been particularly shown and described hereinabove. Rather the scope of the present invention includes both combinations and subcombinations of the features described hereinabove as well as modifications and variations thereof which would occur to a person of skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description and which are not in the prior art.