Nasogastric tube

1 . A method comprising:

introducing an enteral tube into an esophagus of a patient, the enteral tube comprising:

(a) a main lumen having one or more proximal connectors configured to connect to a source of substances or pressure;

(b) a feeding port at a distal end of the main lumen;

(c) one or more vacuum lumens peripherally surrounding the main lumen;

(d) one or more suction ports configured to sealingly draw an inner wall of the esophagus thereagainst, each of the one or more suction ports being associated with a different one of the one or more vacuum lumens; and

(e) at least one gastric decompression port disposed distally to the one or more suction ports along a length of the enteral tube and proximally to the feeding port, wherein the at least one gastric decompression port is associated with one of the one or more vacuum lumens associated with one of the one or more suction ports;

applying a vacuum to the one or more vacuum lumens so as to sealingly draw the inner wall of the esophagus against the one or more suction ports and to decompress gastric fluid via the at least one gastric decompression port while the inner wall of the esophagus is sealingly drawn against the one or more suction ports.

2 . The method of claim 1 , the enteral tube comprising a plurality of the one or more suction ports, wherein the applying of the vacuum to the one or more vacuum lumens comprises interchangeably applying the vacuum to a vacuum tube associated with one of the plurality of the one or more suction ports, each time in a different location along the esophagus.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising regulating the vacuum so that a suction level is not constant over time.

4 . The method of claim 1 , the enteral tube comprising a plurality of the one or more suction ports, the method further comprising regulating the vacuum applied to the one or more vacuum lumens associated with the plurality of the one or more suction ports, so as to create peristaltic movement or other oscillatory movement of the esophagus.

5 . The method of claim 1 , the enteral tube comprising a plurality of the one or more suction ports, wherein the plurality of the one or more suction ports are peripherally distributed around a same location along a longitudinal axis of the enteral tube.

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

7 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein each of the one or more suction ports comprises a graduated edging.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a distance between the at least one gastric decompression port and the one or more suction ports is in the range of 50 to 200 mm.

9 . The method of claim 1 wherein the applying of the vacuum to the at least one gastric decompression port is constant.

10 . The method of claim 1 wherein the applying of the vacuum to the at least one gastric decompression port is according to timed intervals.

11 . The method of claim 1 wherein the vacuum to the at least one gastric decompression port is applied after feeding of the patient.

12 . The method of claim 1 wherein the vacuum to the at least one gastric decompression port is applied according to a need of the patient.

13 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising feeding the patient via the feeding port while decompressing gastric fluid via the at least one gastric decompression port.

14 . The method of claim 1 , the enteral tube comprising a plurality of the one or more suction ports, wherein the plurality of the one or more suction ports are peripherally distributed at different locations along a longitudinal axis of the enteral tube.

15 . The method of claim 1 , the enteral tube comprising four or more of the one or more suction ports.