Collateral ventilation assessment system

A system comprising:

• an occlusion device insertable into a bronchial passageway to selectively seal the bronchial passageway to occlude a lobe of a lung to be tested;
• a flow lumen that sealably extends through the occlusion device to a distal end and having a proximal end receptive of a positive pressure flow into the flow lumen, wherein the flow lumen directs the positive pressure flow into the lobe;
• a pressure source pneumatically couplable to the proximal end of the flow lumen to provide the positive pressure flow;
• a check valve pneumatically coupleable with the flow lumen to permit the positive pressure flow to pass to the distal end of the flow lumen and to prevent a backflow of pressure from the distal end of the flow lumen;
• a flow meter pneumatically couplable with the flow lumen to measure the positive pressure flow passing through the flow lumen and into the lobe;
• and
• a measurement apparatus communicatively couplable with the flow meter to monitor the positive pressure flow to the occluded lobe over time to assess presence of collateral ventilation out of the occluded lobe.

A method comprising:

• occluding a bronchial passageway to occlude a lobe of a lung to be tested;
• introducing into the occluded lobe downstream of the occluded bronchial passageway a positive pressure flow of air from a continuous positive airway pressure source configured to prevent the positive pressure flow from distending the isolated lobe;
• and
• monitoring the positive pressure flow of air into the occluded lobe to detect at least one characteristic chosen from a lack of collateral ventilation from the occluded lobe and a presence of collateral ventilation from the occluded lobe.