Patent ID: 8911750

Claim:
A method for reducing lung volume in a patient, comprising the steps of a) inserting a bronchoscope through the trachea of a patient in need thereof to reach a lung segment to be treated; wherein said bronchoscope comprises a working channel; b) inserting a catheter through said working channel; and c) administering through the catheter to the lung segment a therapeutically effective amount of a composition comprising a biopolymer, a cross-linker, and a polymeric additive; wherein said polymeric additive accelerates a cross-linking reaction between the biopolymer and the cross-linker; the composition is administered in an amount sufficient to reduce lung volume, but without systemic toxicity; and i) the biopolymer is bovine serum albumin in about 25% by weight of the composition; the cross-linker is glutaraldehyde in about 0.25% by weight of the composition; and the polymeric additive is poly(vinylpyrrolidone) in about 10% by weight of the composition; or ii) the biopolymer is human serum albumin in about 22.5% by weight of the composition; the cross-linker is glutaraldehyde in about 0.3% by weight of the composition; and the polymeric additive is poly(vinylpyrrolidone) in about 4.5% by weight of the composition.