Enteral feeding system with controlled reflux preventive vacuum sealing

An enteral feeding system comprising:

• an enteral feeding tube comprising:
• (a) a main lumen having one or more proximal connectors for connecting to a source of substances or pressure;
• (b) at least four discrete vacuum lumens peripherally surrounding said main lumen;
• each said at least four vacuum lumens comprising a suction port for sealingly drawing an inner wall of an esophagus thereagainst, wherein at least some of said suction ports are spaced apart between at least two different locations along a longitudinal axis of said tube;
• and
• (c) an electronically controlled switching mechanism comprising one or more suction valves connected to said at least four vacuum lumens, said one or more suction valves are structured to interchange applied vacuum between those of said at least four vacuum lumens which are associated with suction ports located at a first longitudinal location and those of said at least four vacuum lumens which are associated with suction ports located at a second longitudinal location, thereby changing location of esophagus sealing to the enteral feeding tube and diminishing or preventing damage to esophageal tissue caused by applying suction;
• a pump configured to draw a liquid from a reservoir to the enteral feeding tube;
• and
• a controller configured to automatically control the pump and the switching mechanism and to prevent said pump from providing a liquid to said main lumen unless the esophagus of the patient is sealingly drawn against at least some of the suction ports of the at least four vacuum lumens,
• wherein controlling the pump and the switching mechanism comprises coordinating the operation of the switching mechanism with the operation of the pump, thereby coordinating the changing of the location of esophagus sealing to the enteral feeding tube with supply of the liquid.