Methods for treating airways

• US 8,251,070 B2
• Filed: 04/04/2006
• Issued: 08/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Asthmatx, Inc. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Danek, Christopher J., Biggs, Michael, Loomas, Bryan E., Laufer, Michael D., Kaplan, Gary S., Shriner, Kelly M., Wizeman, William J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Prebilic, Paul
• Assistant Examiner(s): IWAMAYE, ANDREW MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US11/398,353
• Publication Number:
  US 20060254600A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,338 Days
• Field of Search: 128/898, 607 96-102
• US Class Current: 128/898
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00085 Baskets
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/04 Endoscopic instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/06 caused by chemical reaction , e.g. moxaburners
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/14 Probes or electrodes therefor
• 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 18/18 by applying electromagnetic radiation, e.g. microwaves radiation therapy A61N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2010/045 Needles pointed biopsy devices with vacuum aspiration A61B10/0283
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00106 ultrasonic
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00809 Lung operations
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00214 Expandable means emitting energy, e.g. by elements carried thereon
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0022 Balloons
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00244 adapted to separate target tissue from other tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00541 Lung or bronchi
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00773 Sensed parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00875 Resistance or impedance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00898 Alarms or notifications created in response to an abnormal condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1472 for use with liquid electrolyte, e.g. virtual electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/061 for measuring dimensions, e.g. length
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/064 for measuring force, pressure or mechanical tension
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0036 including treatment, e.g., using an implantable medical device, ablating, ventilating
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/053 : Measuring electrical impedance or conductance of a portion of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0538 : invasively, e.g. using a catheter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/08 : Detecting, measuring or recording devices for evaluating the respiratory organs A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0809 : by impedance pneumography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1076 : for measuring dimensions inside body cavities, e.g. using catheters A61B3/1005 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/411 : Detecting or monitoring allergy or intolerance reactions to an allergenic agent or substance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4519 : Muscles A61B5/389, A61B5/224 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4836 : Diagnosis combined with treatment in closed-loop systems or methods A61B5/0036 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4878 : Evaluating oedema
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6853 : with a balloon
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6858 : with a distal basket, e.g. expandable basket
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1001 : using radiation sources introduced into or applied onto the body; brachytherapy

Abstract

This relates to a method of treating airways in a lung to decrease asthmatic symptoms. The method also includes steps of measuring a parameter of an airway at a plurality of locations in a lung, identifying at least one treatment site from at least one of the plurality of locations based on the parameter, and applying energy to the treatment site to reduce the ability of the site to narrow.

Claims

1. In a patient diagnosed with asthma, a method of treating airways in a lung of the patient to decrease symptoms of the asthma, the method comprising:

stimulating an airway in the lung;

after stimulating the airway, measuring a parameter of the airway at a plurality of locations in the lung;

identifying a plurality of treatment sites from the plurality of locations based on the measured parameter at the plurality of locations;

inserting an instrument into the lung; and

applying thermal energy to the identified treatment sites via the instrument to reduce the resistance to airflow at the identified treatment sites.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising applying thermal energy to a new treatment site.

3. The method of claim 1, where stimulating the airway comprises stimulating the airway with at least one agent.

4. The method of claim 3, where the agent causes contraction of the airway.

5. The method of claim 4, where measuring the parameter of the airway further comprises measuring the contraction caused by the agent without making contact with the airway wall via a mode selected from the group consisting of visually, optically, or noninvasively.

6. The method of claim 4, where the agent comprises methacholine.

7. The method of claim 1, where measuring the parameter comprises measuring airway diameter.

8. The method of claim 7, where measuring the diameter of the airway comprises use of a non-invasive imaging technique to measure the diameter.

9. The method of claim 7, where measuring airway diameter further comprises measuring the diameter without making contact with the airway wall.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising applying a customized energy delivery profile at each identified treatment site based upon the measured values of the parameters measured at the plurality of locations.

11. In a patient diagnosed with asthma, a method of treating airways in a lung of the patient to decrease symptoms of the asthma, the method comprising:

stimulating an airway in the lung;

after stimulating the airway, measuring a parameter of the airway at a plurality of locations in the lung;

identifying a plurality of treatment sites from the plurality of locations based on the measured parameter at the plurality of locations;

inserting an instrument into the lung; and

applying energy to the identified treatment sites to reduce the ability of the identified treatment sites to narrow by actuating the instrument multiple times as the instrument is moved along each identified treatment site to deliver energy along the length of each identified treatment site such that a repeating pattern of treatment segments extends along the length of each identified treatment site.