Bronchoscopic repair of air leaks in a lung

• US 7,887,585 B2
• Filed: 03/04/2009
• Issued: 02/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gyrus ACMI, Inc. (Olympus Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Spiration, Inc. (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Springmeyer, Steven C., Sirokman, William A., Gonzalez, Hugo Xavier
• Primary Examiner(s): GHERBI, SUZETTE JAIME J
• Application Number:
  US12/398,122
• Publication Number:
  US 20090182369A1
• Time in Patent Office: 713 Days
• Field of Search: 623/9
• US Class Current: 623/9
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12022 Occluding by internal devices, e.g. balloons or releasable wires plugging an opening in the wall of an organ A61B17/0057; occluders for the cervical canal A61F6/146; vas deferens occluders A61F6/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12104 in an air passage
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12136 Balloons
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12172 having a pre-set deployed three-dimensional shape methods of manufacturing A61B2017/00526
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00809 Lung operations
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/12054 Details concerning the detachment of the occluding device from the introduction device
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/043 Bronchi

Abstract

Systems and devices for minimally invasively treating an air leak in a lung comprise the steps of detecting an air leak in a lung; locating an airway in fluid communication with the air leak, introducing a bronchoscope into a patient'"'"'s airway to a position adjacent the target section and occluding an airway upstream of the air leak for a period of time. The airway occlusion device is preferably removed after the air leak has substantially permanently healed. The occluding device may be a one-way valve. The occluding device may also comprise strut members and anchors that penetrate an airway wall.

Claims

1. A system for use in treating an air leak in a lung, the system comprising:

a balloon catheter configured to occlude an airway and to simultaneously measure a diameter of the airway;

a delivery catheter configured to deliver an obstruction device into an airway of the lung, the delivery catheter further comprising a retractable sheath that is retractable in relation to the obstruction device;

at least one occlusion device adapted to occlude airflow in an inspiratory direction while allowing fluid to flow in an expiratory direction;

the occlusion device being configured such that fluid flow in the expiratory direction passes between an airway wall and a portion of the occlusion device;

the occlusion device further being configured to expand and contract during expansion and contraction of surrounding lung tissue during a respiration cycle;

the occlusion device further comprising a central connector rod; and

a removal device comprising gripping elements configured to grip the central connector rod for removal of the occlusion device from the airway.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the occlusion device comprises an hourglass-shaped frame.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the hourglass-shaped frame comprises a central portion, a plurality of anchors extending radially outward and distally from the central portion, and a plurality of strut members extending radially outward and proximally from the central portion.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the frame further comprises a flexible membrane supported by the strut members.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the expandable balloon is sized to permit selection of one of a plurality of available obstruction members.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the occlusion device comprises anchors extending radially outward and distally from a central portion.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the anchors further comprise stops preventing the anchors from penetrating beyond a desired depth.

8. An occlusion device for treating an air leak in a lung, the device comprising:

a substantially cylindrical center portion;

a plurality of anchors extending radially outward from the distal end of the center portion;

a plurality of strut members extending radially outward and proximally from the central portion, wherein the proximal ends of the strut members are encased by a flexible membrane; and

,

a central connector rod extending proximally from the central portion.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the anchors further comprise stops preventing the anchors from penetrating beyond a desired depth.

10. The device of claim 8, wherein the membrane is folded over the proximal ends of the strut members.

11. The device of claim 8, wherein the central connector rod further comprises a knob disposed at its proximal end.

12. The device of claim 8, wherein the anchors have two bend points with at least one of the bend points forming an obtuse angle with the cylindrical center portion.

20. The device of claim 8, wherein the proximal ends of the strut members comprise two parallel surfaces, and wherein both parallel surfaces are covered by the flexible membrane.

13. A system for use in treating an airway in a lung, the system comprising:

a balloon catheter configured to measure the diameter of an airway;

an occlusion device adapted to occlude airflow in an inspiratory direction while permitting fluid flow in an expiratory direction between an airway wall and a portion of the occlusion device, the occlusion device further comprising a central connector rod and anchors extending radially outward and distally from a central portion;

a delivery catheter configured to deliver the obstruction device into the airway, wherein the delivery catheter comprises a distal cavity for retaining the occlusion device, and wherein the delivery catheter further comprises a retractable sheath that is retractable in relation to the occlusion device; and

,

a removal device comprising gripping elements configured to grip the central connector rod for removal of the occlusion device from the airway.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the occlusion device comprises an hourglass-shaped frame, and wherein the hourglass-shaped frame comprises a central portion, a plurality of anchors extending radially outward and distally from the central portion, and a plurality of strut members extending radially outward and proximally from the central portion.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the frame further comprises a flexible membrane supported by the strut members.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the anchors further comprise stops preventing the anchors from penetrating beyond a desired depth.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the removal device is inserted into the airway through a catheter.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the balloon is further configured to detect an air leak in an air passageway in the lung.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the catheter is configured to deliver the occlusion device to the airway identified as having an air leak.