Pulmonary Airflow

Abstract

Devices, systems, and methods for improving airflow within an airway. One example embodiment includes a method for treating a subject. The method includes (1) placing an expandable object into one or more airways of the bronchial tree of the subject, (2) expanding the expandable object within at least one of the one or more airways such that at least a portion of a wall of the one or more airways is expanded, and (3) placing a stent in the airway such that a portion of the stent is adjacent to the portion of the wall of the one or more expanded airways.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 identifying a particular portion of an emphysematous lung;   expanding the size of one or more airways connected to the particular portion of the emphysematous lung; and   causing the expanded size of the one or more airways to be maintained.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein expanding the size of the one or more airways connected to the particular portion of the emphysematous lung comprises:
 placing an expandable object into the one or more airways connected to the particular portion of the emphysematous lung; and   after placing the expandable object, expanding the expandable object.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein causing the expanded size of the one or more airways to be maintained comprises placing a stent within at least a portion of the one or more airways. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the stent is an open-form stent. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein, when the open-form stent is placed within at least the portion of the one or more airways, no portion of the open-form stent entirely isolates a given area of a wall of the one or more airways. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein, when the open-form stent is placed within at least the portion of the one or more airways, the open-form stent does not totally block a mucocilliary structure of the one or more airways in any one direction. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the stent comprises a diameter of between 4 millimeter (mm) to 10 mm. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the expandable object comprises a dilatory balloon. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the dilatory balloon comprises a cryoballoon. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein, when expanded, the dilatory balloon comprises a diameter that is greater than a diameter of at least a portion of the one or more airways before the one or more airways are expanded. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the particular portion of the emphysematous lung comprises at least one alveolar sac, the method further comprising:
 placing an expandable object such that it extends from the at least one alveolar sac into one or more airways connected to the at least one alveolar sac.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the particular portion of the emphysematous lung comprises a terminal bronchiole of the emphysematous lung, the method further comprising:
 placing an expandable object such that it extends from the terminal bronchiole of the emphysematous lung into one or more airways connected to the terminal bronchiole of the emphysematous lung.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the particular portion of the emphysematous lung comprises a respiratory bronchiole of the emphysematous lung, the method further comprising:
 placing an expandable object such that it extends from the respiratory bronchiole of the emphysematous lung into one or more airways connected to the respiratory bronchiole of the emphysematous lung.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein expanding the expandable object comprises expanding the expandable object such that (a) a diameter of the expandable object is greater than a diameter of at least a portion of the one or more airways before the one or more airways are expanded and (b) at least one opening is formed in at least a portion of a wall of the one or more connected airways. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more airways connected to the particular portion of the emphysematous lung comprises two or more connected airways connected to the particular portion of the emphysematous lung. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein expanding the size of the two or more connected airways connected to the particular portion of the emphysematous lung comprises:
 placing an expandable object into the two or more connected airways, wherein a distal end of the expandable object is situated within a first airway of the emphysematous lung and a proximal end of the expandable object is situated within a second airway of the emphysematous lung, and wherein the second airway is a lower generation airway within the emphysematous lung than is the first airway; and   after placing the expandable object, expanding the expandable object.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein maintaining the increased size of the one or more airways, comprises placing a stent within at least a portion of the two or more connected airways. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the particular portion of the emphysematous lung is hyperinflated. 
     
     
         19 . A method comprising:
 identifying a particular portion of an emphysematous lung;   expanding the size of one or more airways that connect the particular portion of the emphysematous lung to an airway that is a segmental bronchus; and   causing the expanded size of the one or more airways to be maintained.   
     
     
         20 . A method comprising:
 identifying a particular portion of an emphysematous lung;   expanding the size of one or more airways that connect the particular portion of the emphysematous lung to an airway that is a segmental bronchus; and   placing a stent within at least (a) the segmental bronchus and (b) a portion of the one or more airways that connect the particular portion of the emphysematous lung to the segmental bronchus.