Lung Volume Reduction via Thermal Ablation and Occlusion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for reducing lung volume in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are inadequate, particularly in addressing collateral ventilation pathways and often require invasive surgery or are insufficiently effective in improving lung function.
Innovation Solution
A method and device that deliver a thermal damaging agent, such as a condensable vapor, to targeted lung regions to terminate blood and air flow, using a device with an occluding member to isolate the area and prevent collateral damage, effectively reducing lung volume without surgery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional lung reduction surgery is performed to reduce effective lung volume, then lung function can be improved, but the procedure is traumatic and requires invasive surgery
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical surgical resection with a thermal energy-based system. A catheter delivers heated fluid or steam to the lung tissue, using thermal energy to ablate and reduce lung volume without mechanical cutting or removal, thereby eliminating surgical trauma while achieving the same therapeutic effect of lung volume reduction
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a heated fluid or steam as an intermediary medium to transfer thermal energy to the lung tissue. This intermediary enables controlled thermal ablation of lung parenchyma without direct mechanical contact or surgical intervention, reducing lung volume while avoiding the harms of conventional surgery
2Volume of stationary object
If conventional lung reduction surgery is performed, then effective lung volume can be reduced, but the volume reduction is limited to about 15-30% which may not be sufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter of thermal energy delivery by controlling temperature, exposure time, and amount of heated fluid delivered to the lung tissue. By adjusting these parameters, the system can achieve greater than 15-30% lung volume reduction, overcoming the limitation of conventional surgery while improving lung function efficacy
3Volume of stationary object
If thermal damaging agent is delivered to targeted lung region, then lung volume can be reduced significantly, but collateral pathways may allow thermal damage to spread to non-targeted areas
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by delivering a blocking agent through the catheter before or during thermal ablation. This blocking agent occludes collateral airways and pathways, preventing thermal damage from spreading to non-targeted lung regions while allowing significant volume reduction in the targeted area
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The method and device achieve significant lung volume reduction by rendering targeted lung regions non-functional, improving lung function and quality of life for COPD patients, while being less invasive than traditional surgery.
Implementation Method 1
delivering a thermal damaging agent to a targeted region of the patient's lung to raise the temperature of the tissue in the region sufficiently high to the extent that blood flow and air flow within the targeted region are terminated
Implementation Method 2
delivering a condensable vapor at a temperature above body temperature at atmospheric pressures to lung tissue of the target region
Data Source
AI summary
This invention relates to the treatment of a patient's lung, for example, a lung exhibiting chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and in particular to methods and devices for affecting lung volume reduction, preferably for achieving acute or immediate lung volume reduction following treatment. The lung volume reduction is effected by delivering a condensable vapor at a temperature above body temperature to the desired regions of the patient's lung to damage tissue therein. Blood flow and air flow to the damaged tissue region is essentially terminated, rendering the target region non-functional. Alternative energy sources may be used to effect the thermal damage to the lung tissue.