Methods and devices for diagnosing, monitoring, or treating medical conditions through an opening through an airway wall

Abstract

Methods and devices for diagnosing, monitoring, and/or treating tissue through an opening or port through an airway wall. A passageway is created extending from the airway to the target tissue. The passageway provides local access to the target tissue for treatment instruments and for delivering agents.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method of delivering oxygen to a target tissue in the lung of a patient, the method comprising:
 locating a target site on an airway wall;
 creating an opening through the airway wall at the target site with a piercing member; 
 advancing an elongate instrument through the opening to the target tissue, said elongate instrument comprising an access lumen; and 
 delivering oxygen through the access lumen to the target tissue to increase the oxygen in the target tissue, and wherein the target tissue is a tumor.