Bronchoscopic repair of air leaks in a lung

• US 9,622,752 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2015
• Issued: 04/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gyrus ACMI, Inc. (Olympus Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Spiration, Inc. (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Gonzalez, Hugo Xavier, Springmeyer, Steven C., Sirokman, William A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gherbi, Suzette J
• Application Number:
  US14/640,272
• Publication Number:
  US 20160030048A1
• Time in Patent Office: 774 Days
• Field of Search: 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 method of manufacturing an airway occlusion device, the method comprising:

shaping a piece of superelastic material into an hourglass shape having a first end and a second end, wherein;

the first end comprises two or more struts;

the second end comprises two or more anchors; and

the first end and second end are connected by a substantially cylindrical center portion; and

covering the struts with an air impermeable membrane,

wherein the piece of superelastic material is a tube and at least one of the struts or the anchors are formed by making axial cuts along the tube.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the hourglass shape is an asymmetric hourglass shape.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the superelastic material is Nickel-Titanium.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the piece of superelastic material is shaped using machining.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the piece of superelastic material is shaped using molding.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the struts are formed by making axial cuts along the tube.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the piece of superelastic material is sections of wire.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising heat treating the superelastic material.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising attaching a connector rod to the substantially cylindrical center portion, wherein the rod extends toward the first end.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the connector rod is attached using press fitting.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the connector rod is attached using adhesives.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the connector rod is attached using welds.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the connector rod is made of a biocompatible stainless steel.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising splitting the distal ends of the anchor members and bending a first one of the split sections downward to form a stop, while leaving a second one of the split sections to extend outwards.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the membrane includes tabs which can be folded over the interior sides of the proximal ends of the struts.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising sealing the membrane to the frame using adhesives.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein covering the struts with an air impermeable membrane comprises placing a mandrel inside the concave space between the struts and then dipping the piece of superelastic material into a molten solution of a desired polymer.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising dipping the anchors into a molten solution of a desired polymer.