Abstract In a patient who has ruptured his oesophagus a major objective should be to prevent access of swallowed material or refluxed gastric contents to the area of the rupture. We describe a tube system, introduced into the oesophagus via a cervical oesophagostomy, which prevents swallowed material from getting to the lower oesophagus and allows a tube to be passed into the stomach for continuous aspiration of gastric contents. To discontinue the diversion, a surgical procedure is not required. The successful use of this tube system in 3 patients is described.