Systems, assemblies, and methods for treating a bronchial tree
First Claim
1. A system, comprising:
- a treatment controller; and
a catheter comprising;
an elongated body through which a coolant is capable of flowing;
an electrode configured to output energy to ablate nerve tissue in an airway wall of an airway of a bronchial tree; and
an expandable balloon having a collapsed state and an expanded state, wherein the expandable balloon in the expanded state is dimensioned to contact the airway wall of the bronchial tree, wherein the expandable balloon is coupled to the elongated body and configured to receive and contain the coolant such that the coolant cools the electrode and expandable balloon when the catheter is in contact with the airway wall to limit or prevent damage to tissue between the electrode and the nerve tissue, wherein the electrode is coupled to the expandable balloon such that the electrode is moved towards the airway wall as the expandable balloon moves from the collapsed state to the expanded state, wherein, when the expandable balloon is in the expanded state, portions of the expandable balloon are configured to contact an inner surface of the airway wall immediately adjacent to and on both proximal and distal sides of the electrode, wherein an axial dimension of the electrode is less than an axial dimension of each of the portions of the expandable balloon in contact with the inner surface of the airway wall, the axial dimension of the electrode and the axial dimension of each of the portions extending along a longitudinal axis of the airway;
wherein the treatment controller is configured to control power to the electrode when coolant is circulated within the expandable balloon to output a sufficient amount of energy to damage the nerve tissue at a first location along the airway spaced radially outwardly from the inner surface of the airway wall at an electrode-tissue interface so as to attenuate transmission of signals to and/or from mucous producing cells at a second location along the airway so as to reduce a production of mucous from the mucous producing cells, while limiting damage to at least a portion of the tissue between the first location and the electrode-tissue interface and immediately adjacent the electrode-tissue interface.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Systems, assemblies, and methods to treat pulmonary diseases are used to decrease nervous system input to distal regions of the bronchial tree within the lungs. Treatment systems damage nerve tissue to temporarily or permanently decrease nervous system input. The treatment systems are capable of heating nerve tissue, cooling the nerve tissue, delivering a flowable substance that cause trauma to the nerve tissue, puncturing the nerve tissue, tearing the nerve tissue, cutting the nerve tissue, applying pressure to the nerve tissue, applying ultrasound to the nerve tissue, applying ionizing radiation to the nerve tissue, disrupting cell membranes of nerve tissue with electrical energy, or delivering long acting nerve blocking chemicals to the nerve tissue.
1500 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A system, comprising:
- a treatment controller; and
a catheter comprising;
an elongated body through which a coolant is capable of flowing;
an electrode configured to output energy to ablate nerve tissue in an airway wall of an airway of a bronchial tree; and
an expandable balloon having a collapsed state and an expanded state, wherein the expandable balloon in the expanded state is dimensioned to contact the airway wall of the bronchial tree, wherein the expandable balloon is coupled to the elongated body and configured to receive and contain the coolant such that the coolant cools the electrode and expandable balloon when the catheter is in contact with the airway wall to limit or prevent damage to tissue between the electrode and the nerve tissue, wherein the electrode is coupled to the expandable balloon such that the electrode is moved towards the airway wall as the expandable balloon moves from the collapsed state to the expanded state, wherein, when the expandable balloon is in the expanded state, portions of the expandable balloon are configured to contact an inner surface of the airway wall immediately adjacent to and on both proximal and distal sides of the electrode, wherein an axial dimension of the electrode is less than an axial dimension of each of the portions of the expandable balloon in contact with the inner surface of the airway wall, the axial dimension of the electrode and the axial dimension of each of the portions extending along a longitudinal axis of the airway;
wherein the treatment controller is configured to control power to the electrode when coolant is circulated within the expandable balloon to output a sufficient amount of energy to damage the nerve tissue at a first location along the airway spaced radially outwardly from the inner surface of the airway wall at an electrode-tissue interface so as to attenuate transmission of signals to and/or from mucous producing cells at a second location along the airway so as to reduce a production of mucous from the mucous producing cells, while limiting damage to at least a portion of the tissue between the first location and the electrode-tissue interface and immediately adjacent the electrode-tissue interface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
- a treatment controller; and
Specification