Systems and methods for mechanical displacement of an esophagus

1. A mechanical esophageal displacement system comprising:

an assembly that is to be operatively coupled to a vacuum system, the assembly comprising:

an introducer sized to receive an esophageal positioning device, the introducer comprising:

a soft outer tube sized to pass through a mouth or nasal passage into an esophagus, the soft outer tube comprising a longitudinal axis, a distal end, a proximal end, and a body, wherein the body defines a plurality of radial vacuum holes spaced circumferentially around the longitudinal axis, wherein the plurality of vacuum holes are in fluid communication with the vacuum system to apply a vacuum to an esophageal wall; and

a tube tip located at the distal end of the outer tube; and

the esophageal positioning device, wherein the esophageal positioning device includes:

a first segment; and

a second segment having a central axis, a proximal end pivotally connected to the first segment by a pivotal connection and a distal end opposite and spaced apart from the proximal end, the second segment being pivotable about the first segment between a first position and a second position upon articulation,

wherein a gap portion of the soft outer tube is defined along the longitudinal axis between the tube tip of the introducer and the distal end of the second segment of the esophageal positioning device when the esophageal positioning device is disposed within the introducer,

wherein the gap portion defines one or more of the plurality of radial vacuum holes,

wherein the second segment comprises a distal band laminate assembly housing a plurality of distal bands in which distal ends of the plurality of distal bands are slidable along the central axis relative to each other.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the gap portion defines a higher density of the plurality of radial vacuum holes than any other portion of the body of the outer tube.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein a density of the plurality of radial vacuum holes is highest adjacent the distal end of the soft outer tube, and the density of the plurality of radial vacuum holes gradually decreases along the longitudinal axis in a direction from the distal end of the soft outer tube toward the proximal end of the soft outer tube.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the body of the soft outer tube has an end portion as measured along the longitudinal axis from the tube tip to the pivotal connection between the first segment and the second segment of the esophageal positioning device when the esophageal positioning device is disposed within the introducer, wherein only the end portion of the body of the soft outer tube defines the plurality of radial vacuum holes.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein a length of the gap portion of the soft outer tube as measured along the longitudinal axis is from 10 mm to 30 mm.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the length of the gap portion of the soft outer tube as measured along the longitudinal axis is 28 mm.

7. The system of claim 5 , wherein a length of the second segment is 40 mm or more.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the introducer further comprises a plurality of eyelets extending radially outward from the soft outer tube, wherein each of the plurality of eyelets defines an eyelet opening and the eyelet openings of each of the plurality of eyelets are axially aligned with each other along the soft outer tube.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the introducer further comprises one or more occlusion balloons extending radially outward from the soft outer tube, the one or more occlusion balloons being inflatable.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the one or more occlusion balloons include a first occlusion balloon and a second occlusion balloon, the first occlusion balloon being disposed at the distal end of the soft outer tube and the second occlusion balloon being disposed at a portion of the soft outer tube that is adjacent the pivotal connection between the first segment and the second segment of the esophageal positioning device when the esophageal positioning device is disposed within the introducer.