A feeding tube of sufficient length for insertion into an esophagus of a subject via an upper airway, the feeding tube comprising: a single lumen tube having a distal portion, a middle portion and a proximal portion, an outer surface and an inner surface forming a wall of the tube having a thickness and wherein the wall of the tube defines the single lumen of a defined geometry ex-vivo that is variable when conforming to external tissue pressure as it traverses the upper airway and esophagus in vivo, the lumen having an opening at a distal end of the tube for positioning beyond the esophagus of the subject and an opening at the proximal end of the tube for positioning outside of the upper airway of the subject wherein the lumen extends longitudinally through the tube connecting the opening at the distal end of the tube and the opening at the proximal end of the tube; the geometry of the lumen is consistent through its longitudinal axis ex-vivo and said lumen has a transverse major axis and a transverse minor axis that are perpendicular and wherein a portion of the inner surface of the wall of the tube along the transverse major axis comprises a rib that protrudes into the lumen and thickens the portion of the inner surface of the wall of the tube as compared to the wall of the tube adjacent to the rib and wherein the wall of the tube along the transverse minor axis is shaped with an outward curve as compared to the wall of the tube along the transverse major axis wherein the outward curve acts as a hinge to permit the tube to partially collapse along the transverse minor axis of the tube when pressure is applied to the outer surface of the tube by the esophagus or upper airway passage to increase an area of the tube along the major transverse axis in contact with the esophagus or upper airway passages; and characterized in that the rib touches the inner surface of the opposing wall of the tube to prevent the tube from fully collapsing to prevent total occlusion while allowing partial collapse of the lumen when the tube is in use under normal conditions. a single lumen tube having a distal portion, a middle portion and a proximal portion, an outer surface and an inner surface forming a wall of the tube having a thickness and wherein the wall of the tube defines the single lumen of a defined geometry ex-vivo that is variable when conforming to external tissue pressure as it traverses the upper airway and esophagus in vivo, the lumen having an opening at a distal end of the tube for positioning beyond the esophagus of the subject and an opening at the proximal end of the tube for positioning outside of the upper airway of the subject wherein the lumen extends longitudinally through the tube connecting the opening at the distal end of the tube and the opening at the proximal end of the tube; the geometry of the lumen is consistent through its longitudinal axis ex-vivo and said lumen has a transverse major axis and a transverse minor axis that are perpendicular and wherein a portion of the inner surface of the wall of the tube along the transverse major axis comprises a rib that protrudes into the lumen and thickens the portion of the inner surface of the wall of the tube as compared to the wall of the tube adjacent to the rib and wherein the wall of the tube along the transverse minor axis is shaped with an outward curve as compared to the wall of the tube along the transverse major axis wherein the outward curve acts as a hinge to permit the tube to partially collapse along the transverse minor axis of the tube when pressure is applied to the outer surface of the tube by the esophagus or upper airway passage to increase an area of the tube along the major transverse axis in contact with the esophagus or upper airway passages; and characterized in that the rib touches the inner surface of the opposing wall of the tube to prevent the tube from fully collapsing to prevent total occlusion while allowing partial collapse of the lumen when the tube is in use under normal conditions.