I did not try surgical tubing. I did try clear plastic/vinyl poly tubing and automotive vacuum tubing. the poly tubing (think was cheap ice maker line tubing) came rolled up in a spool (like a hose) and would not flatten out enough to get down to the bend in the p trap. The vacuum tube was too 'rubbery' on the outside and wouldn't slide down smoothly.Could you have put inside a sugical tube?
Here's (most of) the stuff I tried: