Ventilation bypass system for treating chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Abstract

The invention provides a ventilation bypass system for treating chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in a lung of a patient. The patient is provided with a surgically-created passage which passes through the thoracic wall, the parietal membrane and the visceral membrane into the lung. The parietal and visceral membranes are sealed surrounding the passage. The system includes a conduit which passes through the passage into the lung. At the distal end of the conduit there is an aperture for admitting gasses from the lung. At the proximal end of the conduit is a flange for securing the conduit to the chest of the patient and a gas venting device for venting gasses external to the patient. The gas venting device can include a filter, valve and/or trap.

1 . A ventilation bypass system to treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in a lung of a patient, the patient having a thoracic wall, a pleural cavity, a parietal membrane, a visceral membrane and a passage which passes through the thoracic wall, the parietal membrane and the visceral membrane into the lung, the parietal membrane being sealed to the visceral membrane surrounding the passage, wherein the ventilation bypass device comprises:
 a flange adapted to be secured to skin of the thoracic wall external to the patient;   a conduit extending from the flange;   the conduit having a proximal end and a distal end;   the conduit having an aperture adjacent the distal end adapted to admit gasses from the lung;   the distal end of the conduit being spaced from the flange by a distance selected such that, with the flange secured to the skin of the thoracic wall, the distal end of the conduit and the aperture are positioned inside the lung of the patient; and   a flow-control device connected to the proximal end of the conduit;   whereby the ventilation bypass system permits gasses within the lung of the patient to escape through the thoracic wall of the patient by entering the aperture, passing through the conduit, and venting through the flow-control device external to the thoracic wall of the patient without entering the pleural cavity.   
     
     
         2 . The ventilation bypass system of  claim 1 , wherein the flow-control device comprises a filter. 
     
     
         3 . The ventilation bypass system of  claim 1 , wherein the flow-control device comprises a valve. 
     
     
         4 . The ventilation bypass system of  claim 1 , wherein the flow-control device comprises a one-way valve. 
     
     
         5 . The ventilation bypass system of  claim 1 , wherein the flow-control device comprises a containment vessel adapted to store discharge from the lung. 
     
     
         6 . The ventilation bypass system of  claim 1 , wherein the flange has a coating to adhere the flange to the skin of the patient adjacent the passage. 
     
     
         7 . The ventilation bypass system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the flange comprises a coupling plate having a contact surface to contact skin of the patient adjacent the passage; and   the contact surface has an adhesive coating to adhere the coupling plate to the skin of the patient adjacent the passage.   
     
     
         8 . The ventilation bypass system of  claim 1 , further comprising an expandable feature connected to the distal end of the conduit wherein the expandable feature is configured to be expanded inside the lung to maintain contact between the conduit and the lung. 
     
     
         9 . The ventilation bypass system of  claim 1 , wherein the flange comprises an expandable feature which is configured to be expanded outside the patient to secure the conduit. 
     
     
         10 . The ventilation bypass system of  claim 1 , further comprising an expandable balloon connected to the distal end of the conduit wherein the expandable balloon is configured to be expanded inside the lung to maintain contact between the conduit and the lung. 
     
     
         11 . A medical device to treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in a lung of a patient, the patient having a thoracic wall, a pleural cavity, a parietal membrane, a visceral membrane and a passage which passes through the thoracic wall, the parietal membrane and the visceral membrane into the lung, the parietal membrane being sealed to the visceral membrane surrounding the passage, wherein the medical device comprises:
 a flange adapted to be secured to skin of the thoracic wall external to the patient;   a conduit extending from the flange;   the conduit having a proximal end and a distal end;   the conduit having an aperture in the distal end adapted to admit gasses from the lung;   the distal end of the conduit being spaced from the flange by a distance selected such that, with the flange secured to the skin of the thoracic wall, the distal end of the conduit and the aperture are positioned inside the lung of the patient; and   a gas vent connected to the proximal end of the conduit;   whereby the medical device permits gasses within the lung of the patient to escape through the thoracic wall of the patient by entering the aperture, passing through the conduit, and venting through gas vent external to the thoracic wall of the patient without entering the pleural cavity.   
     
     
         12 . The medical device of  claim 11 , wherein the gas vent comprises a filter. 
     
     
         13 . The medical device of  claim 11 , wherein the gas vent comprises a valve. 
     
     
         14 . The medical device of  claim 11 , wherein the gas vent comprises a one-way valve. 
     
     
         15 . The medical device of  claim 11 , wherein the gas vent comprises a containment vessel adapted to store discharge from the lung. 
     
     
         16 . The medical device of  claim 11 , wherein the flange has a coating to adhere the flange to the skin of the patient adjacent the passage. 
     
     
         17 . The medical device of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the flange comprises a coupling plate having a contact surface to contact skin of the patient adjacent the passage; and   the contact surface has an adhesive coating to adhere the coupling plate to the skin of the patient adjacent the passage.   
     
     
         18 . The medical device of  claim 11 , further comprising an expandable feature connected to the distal end of the conduit wherein the expandable feature is configured to be expanded inside the lung to maintain contact between the conduit and the lung. 
     
     
         19 . A medical device to vent gas from a diseased lung of a patient, the patient having a thoracic wall, a pleural cavity, a parietal membrane, a visceral membrane and a passage which passes through the thoracic wall, the parietal membrane and the visceral membrane into the lung, the parietal membrane being sealed to the visceral membrane surrounding the passage, wherein the medical device comprises:
 a flange adapted to be secured to skin of the thoracic wall external to the patient;   a conduit extending from the flange;   the conduit having a proximal end and a distal end;   the conduit having an aperture in the distal end adapted to admit gasses from the lung;   the distal end of the conduit being spaced from the flange by a distance selected such that, with the flange secured to the skin of the thoracic wall, the distal end of the conduit and the aperture are positioned inside the lung of the patient; and   a gas outlet connected to the proximal end of the conduit;   whereby the medical device permits gasses within the lung of the patient to escape through the thoracic wall of the patient by entering the aperture, passing through the conduit, and venting through outlet external to the thoracic wall of the patient without entering the pleural cavity.   
     
     
         20 . The medical device of  claim 19 , wherein the gas outlet comprises a filter.