Airway diagnosis and treatment devices and related methods of use

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016287307-A1
Application number	US-201615083720-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 29, 2016
Priority date	Mar 31, 2015
Publication date	Oct 6, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A medical device may include a stimulation member configured to apply a stimulus to a nerve that is configured to control a contraction of an airway distal to the nerve, and a measurement member configured to measure an effect of the stimulus on the airway. The medical device also may include an energy delivery element configured to deliver energy to tissue defining the airway to reduce an effect of the stimulus on the airway. The energy delivery element may be disposed at or distally of the stimulation member.

First claim

We claim:

1 . A method of treating a lung, comprising:
applying stimulus to a nerve at a stimulation location; measuring an effect of the stimulus on an airway of the lung, the airway being spaced apart from or distal to the stimulation location; selecting a treatment location in the lung based on the measured effect of the stimulus on the airway; and applying therapeutic energy to lung tissue at the treatment location.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the nerve regulates lung airway constriction.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the nerve is a vagus nerve.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the vagus nerve is stimulated at a location distal to cardiac branches of the vagus nerve.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the stimulus is applied by a stimulation member, through tissues of the lung, to the nerve.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the stimulus is applied by a stimulation member disposed outside of a patient, transcutaneously through the skin of the patient, to the nerve.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the stimulus is non-therapeutic electrical energy.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the stimulus is an agent configured to activate the nerve to induce constriction of the lung airway.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the agent is one or more of methacholine, histamine, bradykinin, adenosine, mannitol, and capsaicin.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein measuring the effect of the stimulus on the airway includes measuring an amount the airway constricts in response to the stimulus.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the treatment location is proximal to the airway.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein selecting the treatment location based on the measured effect of the stimulus on the airway, includes selecting the stimulation location as the treatment location if the measured effect of the stimulus on the airway is greater than a threshold value.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the threshold value includes one or more of a minimum contraction level, a minimum force level, a minimum airway diameter, and a minimum airflow value.

14 . The method of claim 12 , further including applying an additional stimulus to the stimulation location after applying therapeutic energy to the treatment location, and measuring the effect of the additional stimulus on the airway.

15 . The method of claim 14 , further including re-applying therapeutic energy to the treatment location if the measured effect of the additional stimulus exceeds the threshold value.

16 . A method of treating a lung, comprising:
applying a first stimulus to a first stimulation location; measuring an effect of the first stimulus on an airway of the lung, the airway being distal to the first stimulation location; applying a second stimulus to a second stimulation location; measuring an effect of the second stimulus on the airway; and applying therapeutic energy to the first stimulation location and/or second stimulation location based on the measured effect of the first stimulus and second stimulus on the airway.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the stimulation location is a nerve that regulates lung airway constriction.

18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein measuring the effect of the stimulus on the airway includes measuring an amount the airway constricts in response to the stimulus.

19 . A medical device, comprising:
a stimulation member configured to apply a stimulus to a nerve that is configured to control a contraction of an airway distal to the nerve; a measurement member configured to measure an effect of the stimulus on the airway; and an energy delivery element configured to deliver energy to tissue defining the airway to reduce an effect of the stimulus on the airway, wherein the energy delivery element is disposed at or distally of the stimulation member.

20 . The medical device of claim 19 , wherein the measurement member and energy delivery element are disposed on or incorporated into an expandable member.

Assignees

• Boston Scient Scimed Inc

Inventors

• Clark Bryan Allen
• Flanagan Aiden
• Eppihimer Michael
• Stoffregen William Conrad
• Hincapie Ordonez Juan Gabriel

Classifications

• A61N1/36053

  adapted for vagal stimulation (A61N1/36114 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61B18/00 Primary

  Surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body (eye surgery A61F9/007; ear surgery A61F11/00) · CPC title

• A61B5/6853

  with a balloon · CPC title

• A61B5/08

  Measuring devices for evaluating the respiratory organs · CPC title

• A61B5/4848

  Monitoring or testing the effects of treatment, e.g. of medication · CPC title