Patent ID: 8142455
Filing Date: 2012-03-27
Classification: A61B,A61F,A61M

Abstract:
1. A method for delivering an implant to a lung of a patient, the lung having an airway system including an airway with an airway path, the method comprising: advancing an implant into the lung via the airway system using a catheter body so that an elongate body of the implant extends axially along the path of the airway, wherein the implant is advanced so that the elongate body of the advanced implant extends axially between a first airway wall region and a second airway wall region; deploying the implant from the catheter so that the elongate body of the implant bends the path of the surrounding airway and the bending of the path of the airway compresses adjacent lung tissue; maintaining the elongate body in a delivery configuration within a lumen of the catheter prior to deploying the implant, the elongate body in the delivery configuration extending along a pre-deployment axis between a proximal end of the elongate body and a distal end of the elongate body; wherein the deploying of the implant comprises bending the elongate body between the ends so that a first elongate bearing surface region of the implant extending along the axis of the elongate body engages the first airway wall region and a second elongate bearing surface region of the implant extending along the axis of the elongate body engages the second airway wall region and the bending of the elongate body bends the path of the airway away from the pre-deployment axis, the bending of the airway locally compressing the adjacent lung tissue between the first bearing surface region and the second bearing surface region so as to therapeutically tension lung parenchyma.