Patent ID: 6585639
Filing Date: 2003-07-01
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
A method for accessing and occluding a lung passageway, said method comprising:providing a viewing scope comprising a flexible elongated body, an optical viewing element, and a light transmitting bundle; providing a sheath comprising a flexible tubular body having a proximal end, a distal end, at least a first lumen therethrough, and at least a first inflatable cuff disposed near the distal end; introducing the viewing scope into the lumen of the flexible tubular body of the sheath to form an assembly where a viewing end of the viewing scope is located at the distal end of the sheath; introducing the assembly of the viewing scope and sheath to a lung passageway so that the inflatable cuff lies adjacent to a target location in the passageway; inflating the cuff to temporarily occlude the target location; and advancing a plug element through a lumen of the view scope to the target location.