475 results about "Bronchus" patented technology

Methods, systems and devices are described for new modes of ventilation in which specific lung areas are ventilated with an indwelling trans-tracheobronchial catheter for the purpose of improving ventilation and reducing hyperinflation in that specific lung area, and for redistributing inspired air to other healthier lung areas, for treating respiratory disorders such as COPD, ARDS, SARS, CF, and TB. Trans-Tracheobronchial Segmental Ventilation (TTSV) is performed on either a naturally breathing or a mechanical ventilated patient by placing a uniquely configured indwelling catheter into a bronchus of a poorly ventilated specific lung area and providing direct ventilation to that area. The catheter can be left in place for extended periods without clinician attendance or vigilance. Ventilation includes delivery of respiratory gases, therapeutic gases or agents and evacuation of stagnant gases, mixed gases or waste fluids. Typically the catheter's distal tip is anchored without occluding the bronchus but optionally may intermittently or continuously occlude the bronchus. TTSV is optionally performed by insufflation only of the area, or by application of vacuum to the area, can include elevating or reducing the pressure in the targeted area to facilitate stagnant gas removal, or can include blocking the area to divert inspired gas to better functioning areas.

An anchored intra-bronchial apparatus for placement and deployment into selected airways and a method for using the same. When deployed, the apparatus creates a restriction of air flow to one or more targeted lung regions and achieves total lung volume reduction through a collapse or partial collapse of the targeted regions. The air flow valve of the apparatus includes a through lumen that permits drug delivery concurrent with lung volume reduction procedure.

An apparatus and method deploy a self-expandable bronchial obstruction device in an air passageway. The apparatus includes a catheter configured to be passed down the trachea. The apparatus further includes a capsule for housing the self-expandable bronchial obstruction device in a sterile environment. The capsule is configured to be advanced down the catheter. The capsule further includes a tubular extension. The capsule has a breakable seam so as to release the bronchial obstruction device in the air passageway upon a proximal force being exerted upon the bronchial obstruction device. The method includes guiding a conduit down a trachea into the air passageway. The method further includes advancing a capsule having a bronchial device therein down an internal lumen of the conduit into the air passageway. The method further includes releasing the bronchial device from the capsule. The method further includes deploying the bronchial device into the air passageway.

A medical device for examination or treatment based on a reference point A1, including: a virtual endoscopic image generation section configured to generate a virtual endoscopic image from a plurality of different sight line positions using three-dimensional image data of a bronchus that is obtained in advance; an image retrieving section configured to retrieve a virtual endoscopic image highly similar to a real image; a reference-point setting section configured to set the reference point A1 based on a line-of-sight position A0 of the highly similar virtual endoscopic image; a relative-position calculation section configured to calculate a relative position of a treatment instrument to the reference point A1; a movement detection section configured to detect a movement of the reference point A1 or the bronchus; and a position correction section configured to correct the relative position in response to the movement of the reference point A1 or the bronchus.

A method for treating Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) or chronic bronchitis to alleviate the discomforts of breathing by using non-thermal electroporation energy to ablate diseased portions of the lung including the bronchus, airways and alveoli which, in effect, opens the restrictive diseased portions thereby maximizing the overall surface area thereof causing improved airflow and uninhibited breathing.

Methods, apparatus, and kits for enhancing breathing in patients suffering from chronic pulmonary obstructive disease are described. The methods and apparatus rely on increasing flow resistance to expiration in a manner which mimics “pursed lip” breathing which has been found to benefit patients suffering from this disease. In a first example, a device is implanted in a trachea or bronchial passage to increase flow resistance, preferably selectively increase resistance to expiration relative to inspiration. In a second embodiment, a mouthpiece is provided, again to increase resistance to expiration, preferably with a lesser increase in flow resistance to inspiration. In a third embodiment, the patient's trachea or bronchial passage is modified by the application of energy in order to partially close the lumen therethrough.

A medical device for examination or treatment based on a reference point, includes: a virtual endoscopic image generation section configured to generate a virtual endoscopic image of a bronchus from a plurality of different line-of-sight positions using three-dimensional image data of the bronchus of a subject that is obtained in advance; an image retrieval section configured to retrieve a virtual endoscopic image highly similar to an endoscopic image of the bronchus picked up by an image pickup section arranged at a distal end portion of an insertion section; a reference-point setting section configured to set a reference point based on a line-of-sight position of the highly similar virtual endoscopic image; and a relative-position calculation section configured to calculate a relative position of a treatment instrument to the reference point.