Guided access to lung tissues
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of accessing a subject'"'"'s lung or surrounding tissue of said subject'"'"'s lung, the method comprising:
- (a) advancing a distal end of an imaging device into the subject'"'"'s lung so that a proximal end of the imaging device is located outside said subject'"'"'s lung;
(b) positioning a guide element relative to the imaging device so that the guide element extends continuously from a first end of the guide element disposed adjacent the proximal end of the imaging device, distally through a lumen of the imaging device toward a distal end of the imaging device and then returning proximally from the distal end of the imaging device outside the imaging device to a second end of the guide element;
(c) wherein the first and second ends of the guide element are disposed outside the lung after the imaging device is advanced so that the guide element between the second end and the distal end of the advanced imaging device is accessible to direct an instrument distally into the subject'"'"'s lung; and
(d) advancing the instrument over the guide element by receiving the second end of the guide element in a lumen of the instrument and advancing the instrument distally over the guide element from the second end to the distal end of the imaging device.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
This invention relates generally to lung access devices and methods of using the devices to gain access to the interior of a lung or to the mediastinal space around the lung. In particular, the invention relates to auxiliary access devices and tools for use with conventional bronchoscopes or other endoscopes to enable the delivery of more and larger devices to a target site than is currently possible through a typical endoscope or bronchoscope.
423 Citations
24 Claims
-
1. A method of accessing a subject'"'"'s lung or surrounding tissue of said subject'"'"'s lung, the method comprising:
-
(a) advancing a distal end of an imaging device into the subject'"'"'s lung so that a proximal end of the imaging device is located outside said subject'"'"'s lung; (b) positioning a guide element relative to the imaging device so that the guide element extends continuously from a first end of the guide element disposed adjacent the proximal end of the imaging device, distally through a lumen of the imaging device toward a distal end of the imaging device and then returning proximally from the distal end of the imaging device outside the imaging device to a second end of the guide element; (c) wherein the first and second ends of the guide element are disposed outside the lung after the imaging device is advanced so that the guide element between the second end and the distal end of the advanced imaging device is accessible to direct an instrument distally into the subject'"'"'s lung; and (d) advancing the instrument over the guide element by receiving the second end of the guide element in a lumen of the instrument and advancing the instrument distally over the guide element from the second end to the distal end of the imaging device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. A method of accessing a subject'"'"'s lung or surrounding tissue of said subject'"'"'s lung, the method comprising:
-
(a) advancing a distal end of an imaging device into the subject'"'"'s lung so that a proximal end of the imaging device is located outside said subject'"'"'s lung; and (b) positioning a guide element relative to the imaging device so that the guide element extends continuously from a first end of the guide element disposed adjacent the proximal end of the imaging device, distally through a lumen of the imaging device toward a distal end of the imaging device and then returning proximally from the distal end of the imaging device outside the imaging device to a second end of the guide element; and (c) wherein the first and second ends of the guide element are disposed outside the lung after the imaging device is advanced so that the guide element between the second end and the distal end of the advanced imaging device is accessible to direct an instrument distally into the subject'"'"'s lung, and wherein said instrument comprises a needle guide. - View Dependent Claims (19)
-
-
20. A method of accessing a subject'"'"'s lung or surrounding tissue of said subject'"'"'s lung, the method comprising:
-
(a) advancing a distal end of an imaging device into the subject'"'"'s lung so that a proximal end of the imaging device is located outside said subject'"'"'s lung; and (b) positioning a guide element relative to the imaging device so that the guide element extends continuously from a first end of the guide element disposed adjacent the proximal end of the imaging device, distally through a lumen of the imaging device toward a distal end of the imaging device and then returning proximally from the distal end of the imaging device outside the imaging device to a second end of the guide element; and (c) wherein the first and second ends of the guide element are disposed outside the lung after the imaging device is advanced so that the guide element between the second end and the distal end of the advanced imaging device is accessible to direct a balloon distally into the subject'"'"'s lung. - View Dependent Claims (21)
-
-
22. A method of accessing a subject'"'"'s lung or surrounding tissue of said subject'"'"'s lung, the method comprising:
-
(a) advancing a distal end of an imaging device into the subject'"'"'s lung so that a proximal end of the imaging device is located outside said subject'"'"'s lung; and (b) positioning a guide element relative to the imaging device so that the guide element extends continuously from a first end of the guide element disposed adjacent the proximal end of the imaging device, distally through a lumen of the imaging device toward a distal end of the imaging device and then returning proximally from the distal end of the imaging device outside the imaging device to a second end of the guide element; and (c) wherein the first and second ends of the guide element are disposed outside the lung after the imaging device is advanced so that the guide element between the second end and the distal end of the advanced imaging device is accessible to direct an instrument distally into the subject'"'"'s lung, and wherein said instrument comprises a catheter connected to a balloon.
-
-
23. A method of accessing a subject'"'"'s lung or surrounding tissue of said subject'"'"'s lung, the method comprising:
-
(a) advancing a distal end of an imaging device into the subject'"'"'s lung so that a proximal end of the imaging device is located outside said subject'"'"'s lung; and (b) positioning a guide element relative to the imaging device so that the guide element extends continuously from a first end of the guide element disposed adjacent the proximal end of the imaging device, distally through a lumen of the imaging device toward a distal end of the imaging device and then returning proximally from the distal end of the imaging device outside the imaging device to a second end of the guide element; and (c) wherein the first and second ends of the guide element are disposed outside the lung after the imaging device is advanced so that the guide element between the second end and the distal end of the advanced imaging device is accessible to direct an instrument distally into the subject'"'"'s lung, and wherein said instrument comprises a plurality of needle guides covered by an extendable sleeve.
-
-
24. A method of accessing a subject'"'"'s lung or surrounding tissue of said subject'"'"'s lung, the method comprising:
-
(a) advancing a distal end of an imaging device into the subject'"'"'s lung so that a proximal end of the imaging device is located outside said subject'"'"'s lung; (b) positioning a guide element relative to the imaging device so that the guide element extends continuously from a first end of the guide element disposed adjacent the proximal end of the imaging device, distally through a lumen of the imaging device toward a distal end of the imaging device and then returning proximally from the distal end of the imaging device outside the imaging device to a second end of the guide element; (c) wherein the first and second ends of the guide element are disposed outside the lung after the imaging device is advanced so that the guide element between the second end and the distal end of the advanced imaging device is accessible to direct an instrument distally into the subject'"'"'s lung, and wherein the guide element has a lumen extending between the second and the distal end of the advanced imaging device; and (d) advancing the instrument from the second end of the guide element distally through the lumen of the guide element toward the distal end of the advanced imaging device.
-
Specification