Devices for creating collateral channels

• US 6,749,606 B2
• Filed: 09/04/2001
• Issued: 06/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Broncus Medical Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Broncus Technologies, Inc
• Inventors: Tanaka, Don, Thompson, David, Keast, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): PEFFLEY, MICHAEL F
• Application Number:
  US09/946,706
• Publication Number:
  US 20020111619A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,015 Days
• Field of Search: 606/27, 606/28, 606/31, 606/32, 606/35, 606/41, 606/45, 600/439, 600/459, 600/462, 600/466
• US Class Current: 606/41
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/064 Surgical staples, i.e. penetrating the tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/11 for performing anastomosis; Buttons for anastomosis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1477 Needle-like probes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1485 having a short rigid shaft for accessing the inner body through natural openings
• 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 2017/00575 for closure at remote site, e.g. closing atrial septum defects
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00809 Lung operations
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00005 Cooling or heating of the probe or tissue immediately surrounding the probe
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00541 Lung or bronchi
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00601 Cutting
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00982 combined with or comprising means for visual or photographic inspections inside the body, e.g. endoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1425 Needle
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/395 with marking agent for marking skin or other tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/489 Blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/06 Measuring blood flow measuring volume flow in general G01F, e.g. G01F1/66, G01F1/72; measuring speed of fluids in general G01P5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/12 in body cavities or body tracts, e.g. by using catheters catheters per se A61M25/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/445 Details of catheter construction
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/36 Image-producing devices or illumination devices not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/07 Stent-grafts
• 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 2/2418 : Scaffolds therefor, e.g. support stents
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/90 : characterised by a net-like or mesh-like structure
• 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 2/92 : Stents in the form of a rolled-up sheet expanding after insertion into the vessel , e.g. with a spiral shape in cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/043 : Bronchi
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/061 : provided with means for allowing access to secondary lumens
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/072 : Encapsulated stents, e.g. wire or whole stent embedded in lining
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/8483 : Barbs
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0008 : Fixation appliances for connecting prostheses to the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/005 : using adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0075 : sutured, ligatured or stitched, retained or tied with a rope, string, thread, wire or cable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/005 : Rosette-shaped, e.g. star-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0054 : V-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0058 : X-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0067 : conical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0076 : ellipsoidal or ovoid
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0078 : hyperboloidal

Abstract

The devices disclosed herein are directed to altering gaseous flow within a lung to improve the expiration cycle of, for instance, an individual having Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. More particularly, these devices produce collateral openings or channels through the airway wall so that oxygen depleted/carbon dioxide rich air is able to pass directly out of the lung tissue to facilitate both the exchange of oxygen ultimately into the blood and/or to decompress hyper-inflated lungs.

Claims

1. A medical device for detecting motion within tissue by observing a Doppler shift and for creating channels in tissue, the medical device comprising:

a flexible elongate member having a proximal end and a distal end;

a transducer assembly adapted to generate a source signal and receive a reflected signal, a portion of said assembly located adjacent to said distal end of said elongate member, said transducer assembly comprising a lens located at said distal end of said transducer assembly, and having a front surface; and

at least one heating element where at least a portion of the heating element is disposed on the front surface of the lens.

2. The medical device of claim 1, wherein said heating element comprises a plurality of openings allowing for passage of said signals through said openings.

3. The medical device of claim 2, wherein said heating element comprises a metallic mesh material.

4. The medical device of claim 1, further comprising an energy source coupled to said heating element.

5. The medical device of claim 4, wherein said energy source comprises a RF energy source and wherein said heating element comprises at least one RF electrode.

6. The medical device of claim 1, wherein said transducer assembly includes at least one ultrasound transducer.

7. The medical device of claim 1, wherein said transducer assembly is moveable through a lumen of said elongate member.

8. The medical device of claim 7, wherein said lumen at said front end of said elongate body has a reduced opening smaller than a diameter of said transducer assembly and wherein at least said distal end of said elongate body is radially adjustable to permit said transducer assembly to extend out and retract within said lumen of said elongate body.

9. The medical device of claim 1, wherein said heating element comprises a u-shaped heating element having two ends where at least a first end is attached to said elongate member such that rotation of said elongate member rotates said u-shaped electrode permitting coring of tissue to create the channel.

10. The medical device of claim 1, wherein said lens comprises a shape which disperses the source signal over a substantial portion of an outer surface of the lens and refracts the reflected signal towards the transducer assembly.

11. The medical device of claim 1, where at least one heating element located is retractable into the elongate member.