Devices and methods for maintaining collateral channels in tissue

• US 7,175,644 B2
• Filed: 09/04/2001
• Issued: 02/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Broncus Medical Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Broncus Technologies, Inc
• Inventors: Tanaka, Don, Loomas, Bryan, Kaplan, Gary, Davenport, James M., Cooper, Joel D.
• Primary Examiner(s): PEFFLEY, MICHAEL F
• Application Number:
  US09/947,144
• Publication Number:
  US 20020111620A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,988 Days
• Field of Search: 606191-198, 604/45, 604/103.06, 604104-106, 623/1.1, 623/1.12, 623/1.15, 623/1.16, 623/1.28
• US Class Current: 606/191
• 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 2017/00106 ultrasonic
• 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 2017/00575 for closure at remote site, e.g. closing atrial septum defects
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00809 Lung operations
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22067 Blocking; Occlusion A61B2017/22054 takes precedence
• 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 2018/00601 Cutting
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00738 Depth, e.g. depth of ablation
• 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 2018/1417 Ball
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1425 Needle
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1472 for use with liquid electrolyte, e.g. virtual electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/395 with marking agent for marking skin or other tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2218/002 Irrigation
• 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 2/90 : 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 2220/0016 : with sharp anchoring protrusions, e.g. barbs, pins, spikes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/005 : Rosette-shaped, e.g. star-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 and methods of placement of such 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 and maintain 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. The medical kits disclosed herein are also directed to produce and maintain collateral openings through airway walls.

Claims

1. A implantable conduit for maintaining the patency of an opening in tissue, the conduit being detachable from a balloon catheter for remote implantation within the opening, the conduit comprising:

a center section having a first end and a second end and a central axis extending between said ends, a passageway within said center section extending between said ends, said center section having a wall; and

a plurality of independent extension members extending from both of the first and second ends of the center section where each extension member is unconnected to an adjacent extension member such that the extension member is independently moveable relative to the adjacent extension member, said extension members having a wall;

wherein at least a portion of said wall of each said extension members has a weakened section comprising a reduced cross-sectional wall thickness such that said extension members may bend at said respective weakened section when an outward radial force is applied thereto such that each extension member flares independently to form a cuff or grommet shape to keep the conduit within the tissue opening.

2. The conduit of claim 1, wherein said reduced cross-sectional wall thickness of said weakened section is less than a thickness of said wall of said center section.

3. The conduit of claim 1, wherein said conduit comprises a material selected from the group consisting of polytetrafluoroethylene, polypropylene, and a combination thereof.

4. The conduit of claim 1, wherein said center section is radially expandable away from said central axis to allow said center section to assume an expanded profile from a reduced profile.

5. The conduit of claim 4, wherein a length of said center section is less than twice the square root of a cross sectional area of said center section when said center section is in said expanded profile.

6. The conduit of claim 4, wherein a length of said center section measured along said central axis decreases as said center section expands from said reduced profile to said expanded profile.

7. The conduit of claim 4, wherein said center section comprises a shape memory alloy.

8. The conduit of claim 1, where said extension members extending from said first end of said conduit are longer than said extension members extending from a second end of said conduit.

9. The conduit of claim 1, wherein said passageway has a cross sectional area between 0.196 mm² to 254 mm².

10. The conduit of claim 1, wherein said passageway has a cross sectional area between 3 mm² to 20 mm².

11. The conduit of claim 1, wherein said conduit has an asymmetrical profile.

12. The conduit of claim 1, wherein said conduit has a ratio of a length to a diameter of approximately 1:

1.

13. The conduit of claim 1, further comprising a self-cleaning mechanism within said passageway.

14. The conduit of claim 13, wherein said self-cleaning mechanism is a ball bearing shaker valve.

15. The conduit of claim 1, further comprising a one-way valve located within said passageway.

16. The conduit of claim 1, further comprising a gas-permeable bacterial-resistant barrier located within said passageway.

17. The conduit of claim 1, further comprising a barrier layer extending over at least a portion of the conduit.

18. The conduit of claim 17, where the barrier layer extends over the center section.

19. The conduit of claim 17, where the barrier layer extends over the entire conduit.

20. An implant for placement in an opening within an airway wall, the implant being remotely deployable from a catheter to remain within the opening and comprising:

a center section having a first end and a second end and a central axis extending between said ends, a passageway within said center section extending between said ends, said center section having a wall;

a plurality of indenendent extension members extending from both of the first and second ends of the center section, where each extension member is unconnected to an adjacent extension member such that the extension member is independently moveable relative to the adjacent extension member said extension members having a wall;

wherein at least a portion of said wall of said extension members has a weakened section such that each of said extension members may bend at said respective weakened section when an outward radial force is applied to said extension member causing each extension member to flare independently and form a cuff or grommet shape to keep the conduit within the tissue opening.

21. The implant of claim 20, wherein said center section is radially expandable away from said central axis to allow said center section to assume an expanded profile from a reduced profile.

22. The implant of claim 20, wherein said center section comprises a shape memory alloy.

23. The implant of claim 20, further comprising a barrier layer extending over at least a portion of the implant.

24. The implant of claim 23, where the barrier layer extends over the center section.

25. The implant of claim 23, where the barrier layer extends over the entire implant.