Methods of treating asthma

Abstract

This relates to treating an asthmatic lung and more particularly, relates to advancing a treatment device into the lung and treating the lung with the device. This also includes additional steps of treating the airway wall, applying energy or heat to the airway wall in an asthmatic lung.

1 . A method for treating an asthmatic lung comprising: 
 advancing a device into a lung; and    treating the lung with the device by exposing smooth muscle tissue surrounding an airway to energy from the device to reduce an ability of the smooth muscle to contract.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein advancing the device into the lung comprises advancing a bronchoscope into the airway of the lung and advancing the device into the bronchoscope.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein advancing the device into the lung comprises positioning the device using radiographic or fluoroscopic visualization.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising locating a treatment site within the lung airway, wherein treating the lung comprises treating a wall of the airway at the treatment site with radio frequency energy or heat.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein locating the treatment site comprises locating the treatment site through a non-invasive imaging technique.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the non-invasive imaging technique comprises a bronchogram, magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography, chest x-ray, or ventilation perfusion scans.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising reducing or stabilizing a temperature of lung tissue adjacent to the treatment site.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein reducing or stabilizing the temperature of lung tissue comprises injecting a cold fluid into the lung, the method further comprising removing the fluid from the lung.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein treating the airway wall comprises treating the airway wall in a pre-determined pattern.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the pre-determined pattern comprises a segment, stripe, helical, spot, band, or ring pattern.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein treating the airway wall comprises heating the wall to a pre-determined temperature up to 90° C.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein treating the lung comprises treating the lung in stages to reduce a healing load on the lung.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein treating the lung in stages comprises treating different regions of the lung at different times.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein treating the lung in stages comprises dividing a total number of treatment sites into a plurality of groups of treatment sites and treating each group at a different time.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising injecting or removing a fluid into or from the lung.  
   
   
       16 . A method for treating an asthmatic lung comprising: 
 delivering energy to an airway wall in a lung to alter an ability of surrounding smooth muscle to constrict.    
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the energy comprises radio frequency energy, microwave energy, heat energy, mechanical energy, laser energy, or light energy.  
   
   
       18 . A method for treating an asthmatic lung comprising: 
 delivering energy to an airway wall in lung to alter a folding of a submucosal layer of the airway upon narrowing of the airway.    
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the energy comprises radio frequency energy, microwave energy, heat energy, mechanical energy, laser energy, or light energy.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein energy delivery increases a number of folds of the mucosal layer upon narrowing of the airway.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein energy delivery decreases a size of one fold of the mucosal layer upon narrowing of the airway.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein energy delivery decreases a thickness of the submucosal layer.