System and method for bronchial dilation

• US 8,489,192 B1
• Filed: 06/14/2012
• Issued: 07/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nuvaira, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Holaira, Inc. (Nuvaira, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hlavka, Edwin J., Elliott, Lynn
• Primary Examiner(s): Lavert, Nicole F
• Application Number:
  US13/523,223
• Time in Patent Office: 397 Days
• Field of Search: 607/2, 607/42, 607/116, 607/118, 600/529
• US Class Current: 607/42
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/04 by heating by applying electromagnetic radiation A61B18/18; hyperthermia using electric or magnetic fields, radiation or ultrasound A61N
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/08 by means of electrically-heated probes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/12 by passing a current through the tissue to be heated, e.g. high-frequency current
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00434 Neural system
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00541 Lung or bronchi
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/08 Detecting, measuring or recording devices for evaluating the respiratory organs A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0823 Detecting or evaluating cough events
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4836 Diagnosis combined with treatment in closed-loop systems or methods A61B5/0036 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/686 Permanently implanted devices, e.g. pacemakers, other stimulators, biochips A61B5/6861 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3601 of respiratory organs
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3611 Respiration control stimulating respiratory organs A61N1/3601

Abstract

A method of reducing bronchial constriction in a subject includes delivering energy to create one or more lesions on a main bronchus so as to transect pulmonary nerves sufficiently to reduce bronchial constriction in a lung of the patient distal to the main bronchus.

Claims

1. A method of reducing bronchial constriction in a subject, comprising:

surgically transecting pulmonary nerves located along an airway in the subject sufficiently to reduce bronchial constriction in a lung of the patient; and

preventing re-innervation of the pulmonary nerves.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the preventing re-innervation of the pulmonary nerves includes transecting the pulmonary nerves of the subject at a plurality of locations by creating a series of lesions.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the plurality of locations are positioned around at least a portion of a circumference the airway of the subject.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein transecting the pulmonary nerves includes transecting the pulmonary nerves using electrocautery.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the series of lesions includes two or more lesions separated by 2 mm to 15 mm gaps.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the series of lesions are linear.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein preventing re-innervation of the pulmonary nerves includes attaching an implant on the bronchus to prevent the damaged nerves from reinnervating.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the implant includes a bioactive component that suppresses neuron growth or regeneration.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein preventing re-innervation of the pulmonary nerves includes implanting an active stimulation system that substantially inhibits nerve signals at the airway to block both outgoing and incoming signals from the lungs to maintain the reduced bronchial constriction in the lung of the patient.

10. A method of reducing bronchial constriction in a subject, comprising:

surgically transecting pulmonary nerves using electrocautery, the surgically transecting pulmonary nerves including creating one or more lesions on a main bronchus so as to transect the pulmonary nerves sufficiently to reduce bronchial constriction in a lung of the patient distal to the main bronchus.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the lesions are created around the circumference of the main bronchus.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the lesions are created on an outer aspect of the main bronchus.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the outer aspect of the main bronchus is an anterior aspect of the main bronchus.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the outer aspect of the main bronchus is a posterior aspect of the main bronchus.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the pulmonary nerves follow the branching of a bronchial tree in a lung of the subject.