Bronchoscopic lung volume reduction method

Abstract

A method of minimally invasively reducing a volume of a hyper-inflated target section of diseased lung comprising the steps of introducing a bronchoscope into a patient's airway to a position adjacent the target section and equilibrating air within the target section with atmospheric air to at least partially deflate the target lung section; injecting an inflammation-causing substance into the target section to precipitate adhesion of the walls within the target lung section, preventing substantial re-inflation of the target section by occluding an airway upstream of the target section for a period of time, and removing the airway occlusion after the target section has substantially permanently been reduced in volume. The injected substance can be autologous blood or a constituent thereof.

1 . A method of minimally invasively performing lung volume reduction to treat a diseased lung section, the method comprising: 
 deflating one or more cavities of at least a portion of the diseased lung section to bring opposing walls surrounding each of one or more of said cavities substantially closer together to provide a substantially reduced cavity;    allowing a substantial portion of the opposing walls of said one or more cavities to adhere; and    implanting a device within an airway of the lung upstream from said one or more cavities, the device configured to substantially preclude inspiration downstream of said device to prevent substantial re-inflation of said one or more cavities;    wherein said device is implanted in situ sufficiently long so that the substantial portion of the opposing walls of said one or more cavities grow together.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the device is placed before the step of allowing adhesion.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the device is placed during the step of allowing adhesion.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising a step of causing inflammation of a substantial portion of the opposing walls of said one or more cavities.  
   
   
       5 . The method of claims  1  or  4 , wherein the step of deflating the lung section portion comprises exposing a trans-bronchial lumen to the lung section portion to permit at least some of the air within said lung section portion to escape.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of deflating the lung section portion comprises applying a net negative pressure to at least a portion of the lung section portion.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the step of causing inflammation of the walls comprises injecting a substance into said target section.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the step of deflating the lung section portion comprises exposing a trans-bronchial lumen to the lung section portion to permit at least some of the air within said lung section portion to escape, and the step of causing inflammation of the walls comprises injecting a substance into said target section, wherein said injecting step comprises directing said substance through a lumen of the same trans-bronchial device.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of removing the device from the lung.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising placing one or more additional ones of said device within the lung to be treated.  
   
   
       11 . The method of claims  7  or  8 , wherein the substance comprises a constituent of autologous blood.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the device comprises a one-way valve.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the one-way valve has a generally umbrella-like shape.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the one-way valve comprises a stent.  
   
   
       15 . A minimally invasive method of reducing the volume of a cavity in a lung, the method comprising: 
 inserting a catheter into the lung via the patient's trachea;    removing at least some of the air in the cavity;    injecting an inflammation-causing substance within the cavity so that at least a portion of the walls surrounding said cavity become coated with the substance; and    implanting an occlusion device in an airway upstream of said cavity;    wherein said occlusion device is implanted before and after the at least a portion of the walls, coated with the substance, grow together.    
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the step of placing an occlusion device occurs before the step of injecting an inflammation-causing substance.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the occlusion device is a one-way valve configured to permit at least some fluid to exhaust from the cavity but substantially preclude inspiration into said cavity.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising the step of removing the catheter while leaving the occlusion device in the airway.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising the step of removing the occlusion device after a desired time has elapsed.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the step of removing at least some of the air comprises applying a net negative pressure to said cavity.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the substance comprises autologous whole blood.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the substance comprises a constituent of autologous blood.  
   
   
       23 . A method of reducing a volume of a diseased lung section, comprising: 
 guiding a distal end of a bronchoscope through a patient's airway to the diseased lung section;    employing the bronchoscope to inject an inflammation-causing substance into the diseased lung section;    implanting an occlusion device in an airway proximal to the diseased lung section; and    wherein the occlusion device is implanted sufficiently long so that a substantial portion of opposing walls of the diseased lung grow together.    
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the occlusion device comprises a one-way valve.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the substance comprises autologous whole blood.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the entire substance is derived from autologous fluids.  
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising removing the occlusion device after at least a portion of the diseased lung section grows together.