Apparatus and method for treating pulmonary conditions
AssigneeThe Cleveland Clinic Foundation
InventorsAli R. Rezai, Milind Deogaonkar
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Abstract
An apparatus for positioning at a target site and for treating a pulmonary condition in a subject includes a fluid exchange catheter for insertion into a tracheo-bronchial tree and an inflatable balloon coupled to the fluid exchange catheter. At least a portion of the inflatable balloon is for engaging a luminal wall of the tracheo-bronchial tree at the target site. The apparatus further includes an energy delivery mechanism operably coupled to the inflatable balloon. The energy delivery mechanism includes at least one energy delivery member for delivering electrical energy to the target site.
Claims19
An apparatus for positioning at a target site and for treating a pulmonary condition in a subject, said apparatus comprising:
- a fluid exchange catheter for insertion into a tracheo-bronchial tree;
- an inflatable balloon coupled to said fluid exchange catheter, at least a portion of said inflatable balloon for engaging a luminal wall of the tracheo-bronchial tree at the target site;
- and
- an energy delivering mechanism operably coupled to said inflatable balloon, said energy delivery mechanism including at least one energy delivery member for delivering electrical energy to the target site.
A method for treating a pulmonary condition in a subject, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing an apparatus for positioning at a target site innervated by at least one nerve of the autonomic nervous system (ANS), the apparatus comprising a fluid exchange catheter, an inflatable balloon coupled to the fluid exchange catheter, and an energy delivery mechanism including at least one energy delivery member for delivering electrical energy to the target site;
- delivering an expansion medium to the apparatus so that the inflatable balloon is sufficiently inflated to sandwich at least a portion of the at least one energy delivery member between the inflatable balloon and a luminal wall of the tracheo-bronchial tree at the target site;
- and
- delivering electrical energy to the at least one energy delivery member to effect a change in the ANS of the subject.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.