LOCAL LUNG MEASUREMENT AND TREATMENT

摘要

A method of determining potential treatment sites in a diseased lung is disclosed, in which an assessment catheter is introduced into a lung passageway. The catheter has a distal portion comprising an occluding member and a proximal portion configured to operatively mate with an external console. The catheter is used to identify one or more assessment sites within the airways of the lung. At each assessment site, at least one physiological, anatomical or biological characteristic is determined. A characteristic score for each assessment site is calculated based on a predetermined algorithm; and a treatment is determined based on the scores of the assessment sites. The algorithm takes into account several parameters including the disease characteristics as well as the number and proximity of each assessment site to at least one of the diseased regions. The method envisages treatment of emphysema, asthma or bronchopleural leak.