Methods for treating airways

• US 10,278,766 B2
• Filed: 02/04/2014
• Issued: 05/07/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Asthmatx, Inc. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Danek, Christopher J., Biggs, Michael, Loomas, Bryan E., Laufer, Michael D., Kaplan, Gary S., Shriner, Kelly M., Wizeman, William J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Iwamaye, Andrew M
• Application Number:
  US14/171,973
• Publication Number:
  US 20140148635A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,918 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00085 Baskets
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/04 Endoscopic instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/06 caused by chemical reaction , e.g. moxaburners
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/14 Probes or electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1492 having a flexible, catheter-like structure, e.g. for heart ablation A61B18/1477 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/18 by applying electromagnetic radiation, e.g. microwaves radiation therapy A61N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2010/045 Needles pointed biopsy devices with vacuum aspiration A61B10/0283
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00106 ultrasonic
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00809 Lung operations
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00214 Expandable means emitting energy, e.g. by elements carried thereon
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0022 Balloons
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00244 adapted to separate target tissue from other tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00541 Lung or bronchi
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00773 Sensed parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00875 Resistance or impedance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00898 Alarms or notifications created in response to an abnormal condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1472 for use with liquid electrolyte, e.g. virtual electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/061 for measuring dimensions, e.g. length
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/064 for measuring force, pressure or mechanical tension
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0036 including treatment, e.g., using an implantable medical device, ablating, ventilating
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/053 : Measuring electrical impedance or conductance of a portion of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0538 : invasively, e.g. using a catheter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/08 : Detecting, measuring or recording devices for evaluating the respiratory organs A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0809 : by impedance pneumography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1076 : for measuring dimensions inside body cavities, e.g. using catheters A61B3/1005 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/411 : Detecting or monitoring allergy or intolerance reactions to an allergenic agent or substance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4519 : Muscles A61B5/389, A61B5/224 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4836 : Diagnosis combined with treatment in closed-loop systems or methods A61B5/0036 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4878 : Evaluating oedema
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6853 : with a balloon
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6858 : with a distal basket, e.g. expandable basket
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1001 : using radiation sources introduced into or applied onto the body; brachytherapy

Abstract

This relates to treating airways in a lung to decrease asthmatic symptoms. The also includes steps of measuring a parameter of an airway at a plurality of locations in a lung, identifying at least one treatment site from at least one of the plurality of locations based on the parameter, and applying energy to the treatment site to reduce the ability of the site to narrow.

Claims

1. A method of treating a lung, the method comprising:

stimulating an airway in the lung;

after stimulating the airway, measuring a parameter of the airway;

delivering a liquid to an enclosed volume via an energy delivery device; and

based on the measured parameter, applying energy from an electrode of the energy delivery device, through the enclosed volume of liquid, to tissue surrounding the airway to damage nerve tissue.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein applying energy includes applying a radio frequency modality, and the energy delivery device is a monopolar device or a bipolar device.

3. The method of claim 1, further including monitoring electrical impedance of the tissue surrounding the airway.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein stimulating the airway causes the lung to produce at least one symptom of reversible obstructive pulmonary disease, and stimulating the airway increases the resistance to airflow in the lung or constricts one or more airways in the lung.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein stimulating the airway includes introducing a pharmacological agent into the airway to induce constriction of the airway.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein damaging nerve tissue reduces the resistance of the lung to airflow.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein, after applying energy, the method further includes determining an effectiveness of applying energy by determining whether the lung has a reduced ability to produce at least one symptom of reversible obstructive pulmonary disease.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the energy delivery device includes a balloon that prevents the liquid from travelling distal of the energy delivery device within the airway.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein stimulating the airway and measuring the parameter are both performed with the energy delivery device.

10. A method of treating a lung, the method comprising:

stimulating an airway in the lung to constrict the airway;

after stimulating the airway, measuring a parameter of the airway;

identifying a treatment site based on the measured parameter;

applying energy to the identified treatment site from an electrode, through an enclosed volume of liquid, to damage nerve tissue to reduce the ability of the identified treatment site to respond to a stimulus; and

after applying energy to the identified treatment site, determining an effectiveness of applying energy to the identified treatment site by determining whether the lung has a reduced ability to produce at least one symptom of reversible obstructive pulmonary disease.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein stimulating the airway includes contacting a portion of the airway with a pharmacological agent to induce constriction of the airway at the contacted portion of the airway, and identifying the treatment site based on the measured parameter includes selecting the contacted portion of the airway to receive energy from the electrode.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein identifying the treatment site based on the measured parameter includes determining one or more portions of the airway to deliver energy from the electrode.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the enclosed volume of liquid is delivered to the airway via an energy delivery device that includes the electrode, and the energy delivery device includes a balloon that prevents the liquid from travelling distal of the energy delivery device within the airway.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein stimulating the airway and measuring the parameter are both performed with the energy delivery device.

15. A method of treating a lung, the method comprising:

applying one or more diagnostic stimulations to the lung to constrict one or more airways of the lung;

locating one or more treatment sites in the one or more airways of the lung by evaluating a reaction to the diagnostic stimulations; and

damaging nerve tissue via applying energy from an electrode, through an enclosed volume of liquid, in a manner that reduces the ability of the lung to produce a symptom of a lung disease in response to a stimulus.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein applying diagnostic stimulations to the lung further includes exposing tissue surrounding the one or more airways to an electrical field stimulation.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein locating the one or more treatment sites further includes measuring an electrical property of tissue surrounding the one or more airways before and after applying the diagnostic stimulations to the lung.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the electrode is a radio frequency electrode.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein applying one or more diagnostic stimulations to the lung further includes introducing a pharmacological agent into the one or more airways to induce constriction of the one or more airways.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein locating one or more treatment sites includes determining one or more portions of the one or more airways to deliver energy from the electrode.