A
feeding tube apparatus, a kit containing the feed tube apparatus and method for intubating a patient to deliver the
feeding tube apparatus to the desired location for delivering nutrients and / or medication are described herein. The
feeding tube apparatus (10) contains at least a
catheter (20) and a removable stylet (30), where the removable stylet contains one or more magnetic materials (32a-j). In one embodiment, the stylet contains more than one magnetic material in the form of a
magnet stack (33). The feeding tube apparatus is used in combination with a suitable external
magnet (40) which a
medical practitioner can use to guide the feeding tube apparatus (10) through the intestinal tract. Optionally, the feeding tube apparatus contains additional components, such as a spring wire guide. The feeding tube apparatus is inserted into the patient's body and the external
magnet (40) is applied to the patient's body within the
minimum distance required to create a
magnetic field between the external magnet (40) and the magnetic material(s) (32) located at the distal end (34) of the stylet (30) that is sufficiently strong to allow the external magnet to guide the
catheter and stylet through the intestinal tract, and into the distal
duodenum (470) of the
small intestine. Once the
catheter is placed in the desired location, the stylet is removed, thereby removing the magnetic material(s) from the feeding tube apparatus. This allows for the catheter to remain in place while the patient undergoes diagnostic testing, such as
magnetic resonance imaging.