Methods and devices for passive residual lung volume reduction and functional lung volume expansion

• US 10,314,992 B2
• Filed: 05/04/2015
• Issued: 06/11/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pulmonx Corp.
• Original Assignee: Pulmonx Corp.
• Inventors: Aljuri, Nikolai, Perkins, Rodney C., Olivera, Ryan, Nguyen, Hoang, Radhakrishnan, Srikanth, Beyhan, Niyazi
• Primary Examiner(s): Dixon, Annette
• Application Number:
  US14/703,670
• Publication Number:
  US 20150231353A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,499 Days
• Field of Search: 12820024, 12820423, 12820523, 12820714, 12820715, 12820716, 128912, 600581, 604 19, 604 28, 604284, 606195, 623 2364
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/2676 Bronchoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12104 in an air passage
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12136 Balloons
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0084 for introduction into the body, e.g. by catheters A61B5/1459 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/08 Detecting, measuring or recording devices for evaluating the respiratory organs A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4836 Diagnosis combined with treatment in closed-loop systems or methods A61B5/0036 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/043 Bronchi
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0003 Accessories therefor, e.g. sensors, vibrators, negative pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0434 Cuffs
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0436 Special fillings therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/208 Non-controlled one-way valves, e.g. exhalation, check, pop-off non-rebreathing valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0027 pressure meter
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/003 with a flowmeter
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/1052 for temporarily occluding a vessel for isolating a sector
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/0208 Oxygen
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3334 Measuring or controlling the flow rate
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2207/10 Device therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/10 Balloon catheters A61M25/0125 takes precedence; embolectomy A61B17/22032; retractors A61B17/02; inflatable balloons for placing stents or stent-grafts A61F2/958 ; stomach balloons for treatment of obesity A61F5/0003; oesophagal tubes A61J15/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

The volume of a hyperinflated lung compartment is reduced by sealing a distal end of the catheter in an airway feeding the lung compartment. Air passes out of the lung compartment through a passage in the catheter while the patient exhales. A one-way flow element associated with the catheter prevents air from re-entering the lung compartment as the patient inhales. Over time, the pressure of regions surrounding the lung compartment cause it to collapse as the volume of air diminishes. Residual volume reduction effectively results in functional lung volume expansion. Optionally, the lung compartment may be sealed in order to permanently prevent air from re-entering the lung compartment. The invention further discloses a catheter with a transparent occlusion element at its tip that enables examination of the lung passageway through a viewing scope.

Claims

1. A method for reducing the residual volume of a hyperinflated lung compartment, said method comprising:

sealing a distal end of a catheter in an airway feeding the lung compartment, wherein the catheter comprises an expandable occluding member disposed near a distal end of the catheter, wherein some portion of the occluding member is transparent, and wherein the shape and material of the occluding member are configured such that the occluding member forms a wide angle lens;

allowing air to be expelled from the lung compartment through a passage in the catheter while the patient is exhaling; and

blocking air from entering the lung compartment through the catheter passage while the patient is inhaling;

wherein a proximal end of the occluding member is attached circumferentially to an outer surface of the catheter and a distal portion of the occluding member is attached circumferentially to an inner surface of the passage such that the occluding member forms the wide angle lens.

2. The method as in claim 1, wherein said occluding member is adapted to be expanded in the airway such that access to the lung compartment is provided only through the passage when the occluding member is expanded.

3. The method as in claim 2, wherein the occluding member has an expanded configuration and a contracted configuration, and wherein the sealing the distal end comprises inflating the occluding member into the expanded configuration to sealingly engage walls of the airway.

4. The method as in claim 3, wherein the occluding member is an elastomeric balloon.

5. The method as in claim 1, wherein the hyperinflated lung compartment is substantially free of collateral flow from adjacent lung compartments prior to sealing the catheter distal end.

6. The method as in claim 5, further comprising introducing an oxygen-rich gas into the lung compartment after the volume is reduced to induce or promote absorption atelectasis.

7. The method as in claim 1, wherein the hyperinflated lung compartment has collateral flow channels with one or more adjacent lung compartments prior to sealing the catheter distal end.

8. The method as in claim 7, wherein the collateral flow channels at least partially collapse as the volume of the hyperinflated lung compartment is reduced.

9. The method as in claim 1, wherein reducing the residual volume of a hyperinflated lung compartment causes functional lung volume expansion of the remaining lung compartments.

10. The method as in claim 1, wherein the allowing and blocking steps are performed by a passive flow control element within or in-line with the passage in the catheter.

11. The method as in claim 10, wherein the passive flow control element comprises a one-way valve.

12. The method as in claim 1, wherein the allowing and blocking steps are performed by monitoring flow and/or pressure in the passage and actively opening and closing a valve within or in-line with the passage.

13. The method as in claim 12, wherein flow is monitored to detect the beginning of an inhalation cycle and pressure is monitored to detect the beginning of an exhalation cycle, wherein the valve is closed at the beginning of the inhalation cycle and opened at the beginning of the exhalation cycle.

14. The method as in claim 12, wherein flow and pressure are monitored using data from a flow sensor and a pressure sensor within or in-line with the passage.

15. A method for diagnosing or treating a lung compartment, said method comprising:

introducing a catheter into an airway feeding the lung compartment, wherein the catheter comprises a distal end, a proximal end, at least one lumen extending from the distal end to the proximal end, wherein the distal end comprises a transparent expandable member, wherein the shape and material of the transparent expandable member are configured such that the transparent expandable member forms a wide angle lens, and wherein a proximal end of the transparent expandable member is attached circumferentially to an outer surface of the catheter and a distal portion of the transparent expandable member is attached circumferentially to an inner surface of the catheter lumen such that the transparent expandable member forms the wide angle lens;

viewing the airway through the transparent expandable member using a viewing scope such that the transparent expandable member provides a wide angle view of the airway; and

performing a diagnostic or therapeutic procedure on the lung.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the therapeutic procedure is a lung volume reduction procedure.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the diagnostic procedure is used to determine collateral ventilation in the lung compartment.