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.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for the reduction of lung volume, the system comprising:
 a bronchoscope with a proximal end and a distal end, the bronchoscope capable of being inserted into a lung and navigated proximate a target region of a lung, the bronchoscope further comprising at least one channel extending from the proximal end to the distal end of the bronchoscope;   a lung occlusion device capable of substantially preventing air and fluid flow past itself when deployed into a lung airway;   a source of gas, wherein the gas is an inflammation-triggering gas for treating the target region of the lung; and   a catheter capable of being inserted into the bronchoscope lumen, the catheter comprising a first lumen configured to communicate with the source of gas and the target region of the lung, the catheter being further configured to deploy the lung occlusion device.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the gas is a vapor. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the gas is a heated gas. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the gas is configured to precipitate adhesion of walls of the diseased target region. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the gas is configured to reduce hyper-inflation of the diseased target region. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the occlusion device is a one-way valve configured to allow the flow of fluid in one direction and substantially preclude the flow of fluid in an opposite direction. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the one-way valve is a stent-supported valve. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the occlusion device is a plug-type occlusion device. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the occlusion device is configured to preclude migration of the gas to non-targeted regions of the lung. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the catheter comprises a puncturing tip. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the puncturing tip is in fluid communication with the first lumen. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the catheter further comprises a second lumen, wherein the second lumen is configured to contain and deliver the lung occlusion device. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the occlusion device comprises bioabsorbable polymer. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the catheter comprises a pressure gauge or sensor for indicating an air pressure level at a distal end of the catheter.