Device and method for measuring the diameter of an air passageway
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Abstract
The invention provides a device for measuring an inside diameter of a body lumen, such as an air passageway. The device includes a flexible catheter having an inflation lumen, a fluid dispenser in fluid communication with the inflation lumen and operable to communicate a measurable fluid volume change with the inflation lumen, and an expandable member in fluid communication with the inflation lumen and having a known relationship between volume and a changeable transverse dimension, the transverse dimension being changeable in response to fluid volume changes of the fluid dispenser and arranged for placement adjacent to opposing portions of an interior wall of the air passageway. The expandable member may be dimensioned for transoral placement into the air passageway, and may comprise a balloon that includes a complaint material.
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Citations
55 Claims
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1-45. -45. (canceled)
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46. A device for measuring an inside diameter of a body lumen, the device comprising:
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a flexible catheter adapted for placement in a lung; and
an expandable member carried on a distal tip of the catheter, the expandable member being non-cylindrical in shape when the expandable member is in an expanded configuration so as to effectively function in a naturally substantially tapered native body lumen. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48, 49, 50)
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51. A method of measuring an inside diameter of a native body lumen in a lung, the method comprising:
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positioning a non-cylindrical member in the body lumen; and
after positioning the member in the body lumen, expanding the member to measure the size of the body lumen when the member is in an expanded configuration. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53, 54, 55)
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Specification