Method of increasing gas exchange of a lung

• US 6,488,673 B1
• Filed: 07/08/1999
• Issued: 12/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Broncus Technologies, Inc
• Inventors: Thompson, David P., Laufer, Michael D., Loomas, Bryan E.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, ANH TUAN TUONG
• Application Number:
  US09/349,715
• Time in Patent Office: 1,244 Days
• Field of Search: 604/27, 604/28, 604/516, 604/910, 604/77, 604/101.02, 604/107.01, 128/207.15, 128/207.18, 128/898
• US Class Current: 604/516
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/00 Surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body eye surgery A61F9/007; ear surgery A61F11/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/08 by means of electrically-heated probes
• 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 2017/00115 with audible or visual output with imaging means A61B90/37, A61B34/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22062 to be filled with liquid
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00214 Expandable means emitting energy, e.g. by elements carried thereon
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00541 Lung or bronchi
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/044 the surgical action being effected by a circulating hot fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/046 in liquid form
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1407 Loop
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1807 using light other than laser radiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0096 being laterally outward extensions or tools, e.g. hooks or fibres
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2210/1039 Lungs
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0043 characterised by structural features
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 29/02 Dilators made of swellable material balloon catheters for angioplasty A61M25/104
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/06 for high-frequency therapy
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/403 for thermotherapy, e.g. hyperthermia

Abstract

Methods of increasing gas exchange performed by the lung by damaging lung cells, damaging tissue, causing trauma, and/or destroying airway smooth muscle tone with an apparatus inserted into an airway of the lung. The damaging of lung cells, damaging tissue, causing trauma, and destroying airway smooth muscle tone with the apparatus may be any one of or combinations of the following: heating the airway; cooling the airway; delivering a liquid to the airway; delivering a gas to the airway; puncturing the airway; tearing the airway; cutting the airway; applying ultrasound to the airway; and applying ionizing radiation to the airway.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

inserting an apparatus into an airway of a lung; and

damaging lung cells with the apparatus to cause fibrosis to stiffen the airway so as to increase gas exchange performed by the lung.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said damaging of lung cells to cause fibrosis includes damaging cells of smooth muscle tissue in the lung.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said damaging lung cells to cause fibrosis increases the thickness of a wall of the airway.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the apparatus heats at least a portion of the lung to damage the lung cells.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of inserting an apparatus into an airway of a lung comprises inserting a plurality of electrodes.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said electrodes form a basket shape.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein each of said electrodes comprises a wire coated with an insulating material except at points where the electrode contacts said airway.

8. A method, comprising:

inserting an apparatus into an airway of a lung; and

damaging tissue in the lung with the apparatus to increase gas exchange performed by the lung.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the damaging of tissue includes damaging lung cells with the apparatus to cause fibrosis to stiffen the airway.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the damaging of tissue destroys smooth muscle tone of the airway to increase gas exchange performed by the lung.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein said damaging of lung cells to cause fibrosis also destroys smooth muscle tone.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein said damaging tissue to increase gas exchange increases the thickness of a wall of the airway.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the apparatus heats at least a portion of the lung to damage the tissue.

14. A method of increasing gas exchange performed by the lung, comprising:

inserting an apparatus into an airway of a lung; and

causing trauma to tissue with the apparatus to cause fibrosis to stiffen the airway, said causing trauma to tissue with the apparatus being at least one of;

heating the tissue;

cooling the tissue;

delivering a liquid that causes trauma to the tissue;

delivering a gas that causes trauma to the tissue;

puncturing the tissue;

tearing the tissue;

cutting the tissue;

applying ultrasound to the tissue; and

applying ionizing radiation to the tissue.

15. A method, comprising:

inserting an apparatus into an airway of a lung; and

destroying airway smooth muscle tone with the apparatus to increase gas exchange performed by the lung.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the apparatus heats at least a portion of the lung to destroy the airway smooth muscle tone.

17. A method of increasing gas exchange performed by a lung, comprising:

inserting an apparatus into an airway of a lung; and

damaging airway tissue with the apparatus to thicken a wall of the airway.