Bronchoscopic repair of air leaks in a lung

摘要

Systems and devices for minimally invasively treating an air leak in a lung comprise the steps of detecting an air leak in a lung; locating an airway in fluid communication with the air leak, introducing a bronchoscope into a patient's airway to a position adjacent the target section and occluding an airway upstream of the air leak for a period of time. The airway occlusion device is preferably removed after the air leak has substantially permanently healed. The occluding device may be a one-way valve. The occluding device may also comprise strut members and anchors that penetrate an airway wall.

主权项

1. A method of manufacturing an airway occlusion device, the method comprising:
shaping a piece of superelastic material into an hourglass shape having a first end and a second end, wherein:
the first end comprises two or more struts;the second end comprises two or more anchors; andthe first end and second end are connected by a substantially cylindrical center portion; and covering the struts with an air impermeable membrane, wherein the piece of superelastic material is a tube and at least one of the struts or the anchors are formed by making axial cuts along the tube.