Devices for maintaining patency of surgically created channels in tissue

• US 20060116749A1
• Filed: 01/18/2006
• Published: 06/01/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Broncus Medical Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Broncus Technologies, Inc
• Inventors: Kramer, Thomas, Loomas, Bryan, Willink, Christopher, Roschak, Edmund
• Granted Patent: US 8,002,740 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/1.110
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3478 Endoscopic needles, e.g. for infusion biopsy needles A61B10/0233; catheters with injection needles A61M25/0067
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00252 for by-pass connections, i.e. connections from heart chamber to blood vessel or from blood vessel to blood vessel
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00809 Lung operations
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2412 with soft flexible valve members, e.g. tissue valves shaped like natural valves check valves with flexible valve members in general F16K15/14
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/91 made from perforated sheet material or tubes, e.g. perforated by laser cuts or etched holes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/958 Inflatable balloons for placing stents or stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/043 Bronchi
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0084 being one or more injection needles
• 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: A61M 25/1002 characterised by balloon shape A61M25/1006, A61M25/1009 take precedence

Abstract

Devices and methods for altering gaseous flow within a lung to improve the expiration cycle of an individual, particularly individuals having chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The methods and devices create channels in lung tissue and maintain the patency of these surgically created channels in tissue. Maintaining the patency of the channels allows air to pass directly out of the lung tissue which facilitates the exchange of oxygen ultimately into the blood and/or decompresses hyper-inflated lungs.

Claims

1. An implant delivery system for locating and placing the implant within an opening in tissue, the delivery system comprising;

an elongate shaft having a distal portion, a proximal end, a distal end, and at least one lumen extending through the proximal end;

a guide member located at the distal end of the elongate shaft, where the guide member has a blunt surface such that it may tactilely locate the opening and not drag on tissue or cause trauma;

a balloon member having an interior in fluid communication with the lumen, the balloon member located on the distal portion of the elongate shaft; and

an expandable implant located over the balloon member.

2. The implant delivery system of claim 1, where at least a portion of the guide member is tapered.

3. The implant delivery system of claim 1 where the guide member further comprises at least one resistance surface, such that when the body enters the opening, the resistance surface exerts resistance against tissue upon removal of the guide member from the opening.

4. The implant delivery system of claim 3, where the resistance surface comprises a shape selected from the group consisting of a half-sphere, half-elipse, half-prolate, cone, semi-sphere, cone, triangle, and trihedral.

5. The implant delivery system of claim 1, where the implant comprises an implant selected from the group consisting of a stent, conduit, grommet, valve, graft, and anchor.

6. The implant delivery system of claim 1, where the guide member comprises a plurality of resistance surfaces.

7. The implant delivery system of claim 6, where the guide member has a variable diameter shape, with the resistance surfaces comprise areas of increased diameter of the variable diameter shape.

8. The implant delivery system of claim 7, where the variable diameter shape comprises a shape selected from sinusoidal, spiral, and serrated.

9. The implant delivery system of claim 1, where the resistance surface is affixed to the guide member.

10. The implant delivery system of claim 1, where the blunt surface has an area of increased surface roughness.

11. The implant delivery system of claim 1, where the implant is a different color or texture from the balloon member thereby making the implant optically distinguishable from the balloon when viewed through an endoscope.

12. The implant delivery system of claim 11, where the implant is white.

13. The implant delivery system of claim 11, where the balloon member comprises a colored sheath over a balloon.

14. The implant delivery system of claim 13, where the sheath is blue.

15. The implant delivery system of claim 1, where the balloon member comprises a proximal balloon end, a distal balloon end, and a center balloon section, where upon inflation of the balloon, the proximal and distal balloon ends form a diameter greater than a diameter of the center balloon section.

16. The implant delivery system of claim 1, further comprising an intermediate shaft located between the elongate shaft and the guide member, where the intermediate shaft has a smaller cross sectional area than the largest cross sectional area of the guide member.

17. The implant delivery system of claim 16, where the cross section of the intermediate shaft is circular.