A nasogastric tube insertion system comprises a nasogastric tube, a guide element,and an inserter element. The inserter element has a slim, elongate main body,a handle attached to the body, and an anatomically curved insertion section.The guide element comprises a swallowable weight attached to a cord, string,monofilament line, or other similar line. The nasogastric tube comprises a tubehaving one or more interior bores or lumina and a guide element capture structure.In use, the swallowable weight is placed onto the end of the inserter element.The inserter element is inserted through the patients nasal passagesand optionally into the oropharynx. The weight is released and the patient swallowsit into the stomach. The guide element is threaded through the guide element retainingstructure, and the nasogastric tube is safely inserted along the guide elementinto the patients stomach. The tube and guide element are removed togetherwhen no longer needed.
