Bronchial flow control devices with membrane seal

• US 8,251,067 B2
• Filed: 08/16/2010
• Issued: 08/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Pulmonx Corp.
• Original Assignee: Pulmonx Corp.
• Inventors: Hendricksen, Michael, Wilson, Peter, Hundertmark, Ronald, Fields, Antony J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bianco, Patricia
• Assistant Examiner(s): Patel, Nihir
• Application Number:
  US12/857,356
• Publication Number:
  US 20110017207A1
• Time in Patent Office: 743 Days
• Field of Search: 128/200.26, 128/207.14, 128/207.15, 128/207.16, 604/246, 604/247, 604/249, 604/256, 606/108, 606/191, 606/198, 606/200, 606/213, 606/217, 623/1.24, 623/1.25, 623/1.26, 623/23.68, 623/23.7
• US Class Current: 128/207.14
• 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 17/12036 partial occlusion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1204 temporary occlusion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12104 in an air passage
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12172 having a pre-set deployed three-dimensional shape methods of manufacturing A61B2017/00526
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/1205 Introduction devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/12054 Details concerning the detachment of the occluding device from the introduction device
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/04 Hollow or tubular parts of organs, e.g. bladders, tracheae, bronchi or bile ducts A61F2/18, A61F2/20 take precedence; devices, other than stent-grafts, providing patency to, or preventing collapsing of, tubular structures of the body other than stent-grafts, e.g. stents A61F2/82; instruments specially adapted for placement or removal of stents or stent-grafts A61F2/95
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/06 Blood vessels
• 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 2/2427 Devices for manipulating or deploying heart valves during implantation
• 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 2002/043 Bronchi
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/005 Rosette-shaped, e.g. star-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0054 V-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0067 conical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0078 hyperboloidal

Abstract

Disclosed is a flow control device for a bronchial passageway. The device can includes a valve member that regulates fluid flow through the flow control device, a frame coupled to the valve member, and a membrane attached to the frame. At least a portion of the flow control device forms a seal with the interior wall of the bronchial passageway when the flow control device is implanted in the bronchial passageway. The membrane forms a fluid pathway from the seal into the valve member to direct fluid flowing through the bronchial passageway into the valve member.

Claims

1. A method for modifying air flow in a bronchial passageway of a lung, the method comprising:

advancing a delivery catheter through a bronchoscope so that a distal end of the delivery catheter and an attached flow control device protrude out of a distal end of the bronchoscope and into the bronchial passageway;

releasing the flow control device from the delivery catheter to allow a retainer region of the flow control device, which is at least partially covered with a membrane, to move from a contracted state to an expanded state to form a seal with an interior wall of the bronchial passageway to retain the flow control device in a fixed location therein; and

removing the delivery catheter from the bronchial passageway, leaving the flow control device in the passageway to modify air flow therethrough,

wherein a valve member disposed in the flow control device permits air flow in an exhalation direction and limits air flow in an inhalation direction,

wherein the membrane provides a fluid pathway from the seal to the valve member to direct air flowing through the bronchial passageway into the valve member,

wherein the valve member is disposed in a valve protector region of the flow control device, which is connected to the retainer region, and wherein, upon release, the retainer region expands to a larger diameter than an expanded diameter of the valve protector region.

2. A method as in claim 1, wherein releasing the flow control device in the bronchial passageway comprises releasing the device in a lobar bronchus, which feeds into a lobe of the lung.

3. A method as in claim 1, wherein releasing the flow control device in the bronchial passageway comprises releasing the device in a segmental bronchus, which feeds into a bronchopulmonary segment of the lung.

4. A method as in claim 1, further comprising repeating the steps with at least a second flow control device in at least one a second bronchial passageway of the lung.

5. A method as in claim 4, wherein the flow control devices are released in at least two segmental bronchi providing air flow to at least two bronchopulmonary segments of one lobe of the lung.

6. A method as in claim 1, wherein the valve member partially limits air flow in an inhalation direction and permits air flow in the exhalation direction.

7. A method as in claim 1, wherein the valve member blocks air flow in an inhalation direction and permits air flow in the exhalation direction.

8. A method as in claim 1, wherein the retainer region and the valve protector region comprise a frame, and wherein the membrane covers the entire frame to form a continuous pathway for air through the flow control device.

9. A method for modifying air flow in a segmental bronchus, which feeds into a bronchopulmonary segment of a lung, the method comprising:

advancing a delivery catheter through a bronchoscope so that a distal end of the delivery catheter and an attached flow control device protrude out of a distal end of the bronchoscope and into the segmental bronchus;

releasing the flow control device from the delivery catheter to allow a retainer region of the flow control device, which is at least partially covered with a membrane, to move from a contracted state to an expanded state to form a seal with an interior wall of the segmental bronchus to retain the flow control device in a fixed location therein; and

removing the delivery catheter from the segmental bronchus, leaving the flow control device in the segmental bronchus to modify air flow therethrough,

wherein a valve member disposed in the flow control device permits air flow in an exhalation direction and limits air flow in an inhalation direction,

wherein the membrane provides a fluid pathway from the seal to the valve member to direct air flowing through the segmental bronchus into the valve member,

wherein the valve member is disposed in a valve protector region of the flow control device, which is connected to the retainer region, and wherein, upon release, the retainer region expands to a larger diameter than an expanded diameter of the valve protector region.

10. A method as in claim 9, further comprising repeating the steps with at least a second flow control device in at least a second segmental bronchus that feeds a second bronchopulmonary segment of the lung, wherein the two bronchopulmonary segments are located in one lobe of the lung.

11. A method as in claim 9, further comprising repeating the steps with at least a second flow control device in at least a second segmental bronchus that feeds a second bronchopulmonary segment of the lung, wherein the two bronchopulmonary segments are located in two different lobes of the lung.

12. A method as in claim 9, wherein releasing the flow control device in the segmental bronchus causes the bronchopulmonary segment to collapse.