Systems, assemblies, and methods for treating a bronchial tree

Abstract

Systems, assemblies, and methods to treat pulmonary diseases are used to decrease nervous system input to distal regions of the bronchial tree within the lungs. Treatment systems damage nerve tissue to temporarily or permanently decrease nervous system input. The treatment systems are capable of heating nerve tissue, cooling the nerve tissue, delivering a flowable substance that cause trauma to the nerve tissue, puncturing the nerve tissue, tearing the nerve tissue, cutting the nerve tissue, applying pressure to the nerve tissue, applying ultrasound to the nerve tissue, applying ionizing radiation to the nerve tissue, disrupting cell membranes of nerve tissue with electrical energy, or delivering long acting nerve blocking chemicals to the nerve tissue.

1 . A method for treating asthma, the method comprising:
 inserting an energy delivery unit into an airway in a lung of a patient, the energy delivery unit including a compliant inflatable member attached to a distal portion of an elongated support and a flexible conductive element carried by the inflatable member, wherein the flexible conductive element is configured to expand and contract with the inflatable member as the inflatable member moves between a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration;   expanding the inflatable member such that the flexible conductive element contacts a wall of the airway; and   delivering RF energy to the wall of the airway via the flexible conductive element in a bipolar manner.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein inserting an energy delivery unit into an airway and expanding the inflatable member comprises moving the inflatable member through a range of diameters of at least approximately 2 mm to 10 mm. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein delivering RF energy to the wall of the airway comprises circumferentially and longitudinally heating target tissue at a temperature in a range from about 65° C. to about 70° C. for an activation time period in a range from about 2 seconds to about 3 seconds. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the target tissue comprises airway smooth muscle. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein delivering RF energy to the wall of the airway reduces airway smooth muscle tissue. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising cooling a tissue layer adjacent to target tissue of the airway. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein cooling a tissue layer comprises at least partially filling the inflatable member with a liquid or a gas. 
     
     
         8 . A method for treating asthma, the method comprising:
 inserting an energy delivery assembly into an airway in a lung of a patient, the energy delivery assembly including an inflatable expandable member coupled to a distal portion of an elongated shaft and a flexible conductive element carried by the inflatable expandable member, wherein the flexible conductive element is configured to expand and contract with the inflatable expandable member as the inflatable expandable member moves between a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration;   expanding the inflatable expandable member such that the flexible conductive element contacts a wall of the airway; and   delivering RF energy to the wall of the airway via the flexible conductive element in a bipolar manner.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein inserting an energy delivery assembly into an airway and expanding the inflatable expandable member comprises moving the inflatable expandable member through a range of diameters sufficient to bring the flexible conductive element in contact with or proximate to a wall of the airway when the energy delivery assembly is positioned therein. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8  wherein delivering RF energy to the wall of the airway comprises circumferentially and longitudinally heating target tissue at a temperature in a range from about 40° C. to about 99° C. for an activation time period in a range from about 1 second to about 120 seconds. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the target tissue comprises airway smooth muscle. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8  wherein delivering RF energy to the wall of the airway reduces airway smooth muscle tissue. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising cooling a tissue layer adjacent to target tissue of the airway. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8  wherein cooling a tissue layer comprises at least partially filling the inflatable expandable member with a liquid or a gas.