What are the main functions of a Sengstaken-Blakemore tube?

The Sengstaken-Blakemore tube is specifically designed to manage complications associated with esophageal varices, particularly variceal hemorrhage. This tube is equipped with balloon tamponade capabilities that can apply pressure to bleeding varices, thereby controlling the hemorrhage effectively. The inflated balloons exert pressure on the vessel walls, which can reduce or stop the bleeding, providing critical time for additional interventions such as endoscopy or surgical procedures.

The other functions mentioned in the question do not apply to the Sengstaken-Blakemore tube. For instance, providing enteral nutrition is typically performed using specific feeding tubes designed for that purpose, not a tube meant for tamponade. Gastric lavage involves using a different type of tube to wash out the stomach's contents, which is not the primary use of the Sengstaken-Blakemore tube. Lastly, maintaining gastric pH is related to gastrointestinal health management, but again, this is not a function associated with the Sengstaken-Blakemore tube, which is focused on managing bleeding rather than altering pH levels.