MINIMALLY INVASIVE DETERMINATION OF COLLATERAL VENTILATION IN LUNGS
First Claim
1. A method for determining presence or absence of collateral ventilation between lung compartments in a patient, the method comprising:
- introducing a catheter transtracheally to an airway feeding into a target lung compartment;
deploying an occlusion member on the catheter in the airway to prevent inhaled air from traveling into the target lung compartment through the airway while allowing exhaled air to leave the target lung compartment through a lumen of the catheter;
allowing the patient to breathe;
observing opening and closing of a one-way valve coupled with a proximal portion of the catheter and in fluid communication with the catheter lumen, wherein the one-way valve is located outside the patient; and
determining the presence or absence of collateral ventilation into the target lung compartment from one or more adjacent lung compartments, based on the observed opening and closing of the one-way valve over time.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Minimally invasive methods, systems and devices are provided for assessing collateral ventilation in the lungs. In particular, collateral ventilation of a target compartment within a lung of a patient is assessed by advancement of a catheter through the tracheobronchial tree to a feeding airway of the target compartment. The feeding airway is occluded by the catheter and the opening and closing of a one-way valve coupled with the catheter is observed. If the valve ceases opening and closing over time, this may indicate that significant collateral ventilation into the target compartment is absent. If the valve continues to open and close over time, significant collateral ventilation into the compartment may be present. Based on the collateral ventilation assessment, a treatment plan may be generated.
-
Citations
17 Claims
-
1. A method for determining presence or absence of collateral ventilation between lung compartments in a patient, the method comprising:
-
introducing a catheter transtracheally to an airway feeding into a target lung compartment; deploying an occlusion member on the catheter in the airway to prevent inhaled air from traveling into the target lung compartment through the airway while allowing exhaled air to leave the target lung compartment through a lumen of the catheter; allowing the patient to breathe; observing opening and closing of a one-way valve coupled with a proximal portion of the catheter and in fluid communication with the catheter lumen, wherein the one-way valve is located outside the patient; and determining the presence or absence of collateral ventilation into the target lung compartment from one or more adjacent lung compartments, based on the observed opening and closing of the one-way valve over time. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
-
-
8. A system for detecting collateral ventilation into a lung compartment in a patient, the system comprising:
-
a catheter having a lumen and adapted to be introduced transtracheally to a bronchus leading to a target lung compartment; an occlusion member on a distal region of the catheter, said occlusion member being adapted to selectively occlude the bronchus; and a one-way valve coupled with a proximal region of the catheter and in fluid communication with the lumen, wherein the occlusion member, when deployed in the bronchus, prevents air from being inhaled into the target lung compartment through the bronchus, wherein the catheter allows air exhaled from the target lung compartment to pass through the lumen and the one-way valve, and wherein the catheter has sufficient overall length so that the one-way valve is located outside the patient during use. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
Specification