Bronchial flow control devices and methods of use

• US 7,854,228 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2005
• Issued: 12/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pulmonx Corp.
• Original Assignee: 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
• Primary Examiner(s): Bianco; Patricia M
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, NIHIR B
• Application Number:
  US11/092,123
• Publication Number:
  US 20050166925A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,094 Days
• Field of Search: 128/200.24, 128/200.26, 128/201.26, 128/201.28, 128/206.29, 128/207.12, 128/207.14, 128/207.16, 128/859, 128/860, 128/861, 128/862, 623/9, 600/532, 600/538, 600/539, 600/540
• US Class Current: 128/205.24
• 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 and includes a valve protector that at least partially surrounds a valve member. The valve protector has sufficient rigidity to maintain the shape of the valve member against compression.

Claims

1. A flow control device for a bronchial passageway, comprising:

a valve member that regulates fluid flow through the flow control device;

a seal member that forms a seal with the interior wall of the bronchial passageway when the flow control device is implanted in the bronchial passageway;

an anchor member coupled to the seal member, wherein the anchor member exerts a radial force against the interior wall of the bronchial passageway when the flow control device is implanted in the bronchial passageway and retains the flow control device in the bronchial passageway; and

a valve protector that at least partially surrounds the valve member, the valve protector having sufficient rigidity to maintain the shape of the valve member against compression, wherein the valve protector is manufactured of the same material as that of the anchor member and is integrally formed with the anchor member.

2. The flow control device of claim 1, wherein the opening extends radially though the valve protector.

3. The flow control device of claim 1, wherein the valve protector is manufactured of a different material than a material of the seal member.

4. The flow control device of claim 1, wherein the valve protector is entirely surrounded by the seal member.

5. The flow control device of claim 1, wherein the valve protector is structurally detached from the seal member.

6. The flow control device of claim 1, wherein the valve protector comprises a tube.

7. The flow control device of claim 1, wherein the valve protector is more rigid than the seal member.

8. A flow control device for a bronchial passageway, comprising:

a valve member that regulates fluid flow through the flow control device;

a seal member that forms a seal with the interior wall of the bronchial passageway when the flow control device is implanted in the bronchial passageway;

an anchor member coupled to the seal member, wherein the anchor member exerts a radial force against the interior wall of the bronchial passageway when the flow control device is implanted in the bronchial passageway and retains the flow control device in the bronchial passageway; and

a valve protector that at least partially surrounds the valve member, the valve protector being positioned within the seal member and having sufficient rigidity to maintain the shape of the valve member against compression, wherein the valve protector is more rigid than the seal member.

9. The flow control device of claim 8, wherein the valve protector includes at least one opening that extends through the valve protector and provides location where a removal device can grasp the flow control device.

10. The flow control device of claim 8, wherein the valve protector is manufactured of a different material than a material of the seal member.

11. The flow control device of claim 8, wherein the valve member is concentrically contained within the valve protector.

12. A flow control device for a bronchial passageway, comprising:

a valve member that regulates fluid flow through the flow control device;

a seal member that forms a seal with the interior wall of the bronchial passageway when the flow control device is implanted in the bronchial passageway;

an anchor member coupled to the seal member, wherein the anchor member exerts a radial force against the interior wall of the bronchial passageway when the flow control device is implanted in the bronchial passageway and retains the flow control device in the bronchial passageway; and

a valve protector that at least partially surrounds the valve member, the valve protector having sufficient rigidity to maintain the shape of the valve member against compression, wherein the valve protector is manufactured of a different material than a material of the seal member.

13. The flow control device of claim 12, wherein the valve protector is entirely surrounded by the seal member.

14. The flow control device of claim 12, wherein the valve protector comprises a wire.

15. The flow control device of claim 12, wherein the valve protector comprises a tube.

16. The flow control device of claim 12, wherein the valve member is concentrically contained within the valve protector.

17. The flow control device of claim 12, wherein the valve protector is more rigid than the seal member.

18. The flow control device of claim 12, wherein the valve protector includes at least one opening that extends through the valve protector and provides a location where a removal device can grasp the flow control device.