Bronchial flow control devices and methods of use

• US 20050145253A1
• Filed: 03/02/2005
• Published: 07/07/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Pulmonx Pulmonx
• Original Assignee: Emphasys Medical, Inc. (Pulmonx Corp.)
• Inventors: Hendricksen, Michael J., Gifford, Hanson S. III, Fields, Antony J., Hundertmark, Ronald, Barrett, Michael S., Tholfsen, David R., Rapacki, Alan R., McCutcheon, John G., Wilson, Peter M., Sutton, Douglas
• Application Number:
  US11/071,850
• Publication Number:
  US 20050145253A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/207.140
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/1205 Introduction devices
• 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 2/2418 Scaffolds therefor, e.g. support stents
• 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 2/9522 Means for mounting a stent or stent-graft onto or into a placement instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/043 Bronchi
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/912 Connections and closures for tubes delivering fluids to or from the body

Abstract

Methods and systems for lung volume reduction of a patient are described. The methods include implanting a flow control device in a bronchial passageway of the lung. The flow control device regulates fluid flow through the bronchial passageway. A region of the lung is aspirated distal of the flow control device while the patient is inhaling.

Claims

1. A method for lung volume reduction of a patient, comprising:

applying suction to a lung region, wherein the suction is applied in synchronization with the patient'"'"'s inhalation.

2. A method as in claim 1, wherein a pulsatile suction is applied to the lung region during at least a portion of the patient'"'"'s inhalation.

3. A method as in claim 1, wherein a continuous suction is applied to the lung region during at least a portion of the patient'"'"'s inhalation.

4. A method as in claim 1, further comprising implanting a flow control device in a bronchial passageway of the lung, wherein the flow control device regulates fluid flow through the bronchial passageway.

5. A method as in claim 4, wherein the flow control device blocks fluid flow through the bronchial passageway.

6. A method as in claim 4, wherein the flow control device comprises a one-way valve that permits fluid flow in an exhalation direction and prevents fluid flow in an inspiration direction through the flow control device.

7. A method as in claim 4, further comprising inserting a catheter into the bronchial passageway and applying suction to the lung region through a distal end of the catheter.

8. A method as in claim 7, wherein the distal end of the catheter is positioned in the bronchial passageway distal of the flow control device during suction.

9. A method as in claim 7, wherein the distal end of the catheter is positioned in the bronchial passageway proximal of the flow control device during suction.

10. A method as in claim 1, further comprising collapsing the lung region as a result of the suction.

11. A method as in claim 1, further comprising inserting a catheter into the bronchial passageway and applying suction to the lung region through a distal end of the catheter.

12. A method as in claim 11, wherein the suction provides a pressure sufficient to cause the bronchial passageway to collapse at a location distal of the distal end of the catheter as a result of the suction and wherein the suction is pulsatile and the bronchial passageway re-opens in between pulses of suction.

13. A method for lung volume reduction of a patient, comprising:

implanting a flow control device in a bronchial passageway of the lung, wherein the flow control device regulates fluid flow through the bronchial passageway;

aspirating a region of the lung distal of the flow control device while the patient is inhaling.

14. A method as in claim 13, wherein aspirating a region of the lung comprises applying a pulsatile suction to the region of the lung.

15. A method as in claim 13, wherein aspirating a region of the lung comprises applying a continuous suction to the region of the lung.

16. A method as in claim 13, further comprising implanting a flow control device in a bronchial passageway of the lung, wherein the flow control device regulates fluid flow through the bronchial passageway.

17. A method as in claim 13, further comprising inserting a catheter into the bronchial passageway and applying suction to the lung region through a distal end of the catheter.

18. A method as in claim 13, further comprising collapsing the lung region as a result of the suction.

19. A method for lung volume reduction of a patient, comprising:

suctioning a region of the lung while the patient is inhaling.

20. A method as in claim 19, further comprising implanting a flow control device in a bronchial passageway of the lung, wherein the flow control device regulates fluid flow through the bronchial passageway.