Patent ID: 8079368
Filing Date: 2011-12-20
Classification: A61B,A61F,A61M

Abstract:
1. A method of delivering a gas to a lung region comprising: steering a bronchoscope through an air passageway to position a distal end of the bronchoscope near a diseased target region, wherein the diseased target region comprises a hyper-inflated cavity in a lung; inserting a catheter through a lumen of the bronchoscope to position a distal end of the catheter near or in the diseased target region; at least partially deflating the diseased target region by exposing the diseased target region to an ambient environment through the catheter to equilibrate the diseased target region with the ambient environment such that the diseased target region is at ambient pressure; placing, using the catheter, an occlusion device within the air passageway leading to the diseased target region after equilibrating the diseased target region with the ambient environment; and delivering, using the catheter, the gas to the diseased target region, wherein the gas is an inflammation-triggering gas for treating the diseased target region wherein the diseased target region is maintained substantially at ambient pressure during the placing and the delivering.