Intra-thoracic collateral ventilation bypass system and method

• US 7,377,278 B2
• Filed: 05/24/2004
• Issued: 05/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Portaero, Inc
• Original Assignee: Portaero, Inc
• Inventors: Tanaka, Don
• Primary Examiner(s): Douglas; Steven O.
• Application Number:
  US10/852,529
• Publication Number:
  US 20040244803A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,464 Days
• Field of Search: 128/200.24, 128/200.26, 128/207.14, 128/207.15, 128/207.16
• US Class Current: 128/207.15
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0009 with sub-atmospheric pressure, e.g. during expiration
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/021 operated by electrical means A61M16/202 – A61M16/205 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0406 implanted flow modifiers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/101 using an oxygen concentrator
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/107 in the inspiratory path
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/0007 introduced into the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/0208 Oxygen
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/03 Gases in liquid phase, e.g. cryogenic liquids
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/0247 Semi-permanent or permanent transcutaneous or percutaneous access sites to the inside of the body peritoneal dialysis catheters A61M1/285; tracheostomy devices A61M16/0465; measuring pressure within the body A61B5/03; colostomy devices A61F5/445; gastrotomy feeding tubes A61J15/0015; means for fixing a feeding tube outside of the body A61J15/0053

Abstract

A collateral ventilation bypass trap system directly linked with a patient'"'"'s lung or lungs may be utilized to increase the expiratory flow from the diseased lung or lungs, thereby treating another aspect of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The system includes a trap, a filter/one-way valve and an air carrying conduit. In various embodiments, the system may be intrathoracic, extrathoracic or a combination thereof.

Claims

1. An intra-thoracic collateral ventilation bypass system comprising:

at least one conduit having first and second ends;

the first end passing through and being adapted to be in direct fluid communication with a bronchus of a patient and the second end passing through and being adapted to be in fluid communication with the inner volume of a lung of a patient at a predetermined site from a position external of the lung, the at least one conduit passing through and being adapted to be sealed to a wall of the bronchus;

a first sealing device adapted for establishing an airtight seal between the conduit and the wall of the bronchus; and

a second sealing device adapted for establishing an airtight seal between the conduit and the lung.

2. A system for creating a ventilation bypass between a lung of a patient and an airway of the patient wherein the airway is a natural airway of the lower respiratory tract of the patient external to the lung and trachea of the patient, and wherein the system comprises:

a conduit having first and second ends with respective first and second sealing devices;

the first end of the conduit is adapted to be connected with the airway of the patient and sealed to a wall of the airway of the patient with said second sealing device;

the second end of the conduit is adapted to be passed into the lung of a patient and is sealed to the lung of the patient; and

the conduit creates a direct fluid communication between the lung of the patient and the airway of the patient along a path through the patient outside the lung and the airway of the patient thereby providing a ventilation bypass which permits air to exit the lung and enter the airway via the conduit.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the first end of the conduit comprises an expandable feature for engaging the airway.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the second end of the conduit comprises an expandable feature for engaging the lung.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the first end of the conduit comprises an expandable feature for engaging the airway and the second end comprises an expandable feature for engaging the lung.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein the conduit comprises at least one valve to prevent substances from entering the lung via the conduit.

7. The system of claim 2, wherein the conduit comprises a one-way check valve to allow exhalation while preventing substances from entering the lung via the conduit.

8. The system of claim 2, wherein the conduit comprises at least one filter to prevent substances from entering the lung via the conduit.

9. The system of claim 2 wherein the airway is a bronchus.

10. The system of claim 2 wherein the airway is a trachea.

11. A method for creating an airway bypass between a lung of a patient and an airway of the patient wherein the airway is a natural airway of the lower respiratory tract of the patient external to the lung and trachea of the patient, wherein the method comprises:

(a) inserting a first end of a conduit into an airway of the patient;

(b) sealing the conduit to the airway with a first sealing device;

(c) inserting a second end of the conduit into an inner volume of the lung of the patient from outside of the lung of the patient; and

(d) sealing the conduit to the lung with a second sealing device such that the conduit creates a direct fluid communication between the inner volume of the lung of the patient and the airway of the patient along a path outside of the lung and the airway of the patient thereby providing a ventilation bypass for air to exit the lung and enter the airway via the conduit.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein step (b) comprises expanding an expandable feature of the first end of the conduit to engage the airway.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein step (c) comprises expanding an expandable feature of the second end of the conduit to engage the lung.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein step (c) comprises expanding an expandable feature of the second end of the conduit to engage the lung.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein step (c) comprises creating a pleurodesis between a visceral membrane and a parietal membrane of a lung;

and inserting the second end of the conduit into an inner volume of the lung of the patient from outside of the lung of the patient through the pleurodesis.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein step (d) comprises forming adhesions between a visceral membrane of the lung and a parietal membrane of a lung.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein step (d) comprises using a biocompatible adhesive to seal the conduit to the lung.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein step (d) comprises forming a pleurodesis between a visceral membrane and a parietal membrane.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the airway is a bronchus and step (b) comprises sealing the conduit to the bronchus.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the airway is a trachea and step (b) comprises sealing the conduit to the trachea.