Feeding tubes are typically placed through “blind insertion,” guided by feel.

But of the 30 million feeding tubes placed annually — 9 million in the United States — some two to five percent end up in the tracheobronchial tree (which transports air into the lungs), resulting in a 30% chance of a collapsed lung or death. That’s close to 1.5 million patients worldwide.

Envizion’s Envue system uses a feeding tube with a small sensor at the tip. Another sensor is placed on the patient and maintains accuracy even if the patient moves.

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