Minimally invasive determination of collateral ventilation in lungs

A system for detecting collateral ventilation into a lung compartment in a patient, said system comprising:

• a catheter adapted to be introduced transtracheally to a bronchus leading to a target lung compartment;
• an occlusion member on a distal region of the catheter, said occlusion member being adapted to selectively occlude the bronchus;
• and
• a flow measurement sensor on the catheter to detect flow of air from the isolated compartment as the patient exhales.

A system for detecting collateral ventilation into a lung compartment in a patient, said system comprising:

• a catheter adapted to be introduced transtracheally to a bronchus leading to a target lung compartment;
• an occlusion member or a distal region of the catheter, said occlusion member being adapted to selectively occlude the bronchus;
• and
• an accumulator connectable to the catheter to accumulate air exhaled from the catheter over time.

A method of evaluating a target lung compartment of a patient, the method comprising:

• positioning an instrument within a lung passageway leading to the target lung compartment so that the target lung compartment is isolated;
• injecting an inert gas into the isolated target lung compartment;
• generating at least one measurement of pressure within the target lung segment;
• generating at least one measurement of concentration of inert gas within the target lung segment;
• and
• analyzing the at least one target lung compartment with the use of the at least one measurement of pressure and the at least one measurement of concentration of inert gas.

A system for evaluating a target lung compartment comprising:

• an instrument positionable within a lung passageway leading to the target lung compartment so that the target lung compartment is isolated, wherein the instrument includes a mechanism for injecting an inert gas to the target lung segment;
• at least one sensor which generates measurement data reflecting pressure within the target lung segment;
• and
• at least one sensor which generates measurement data reflecting concentration of an inert gas within the target lung segment.

A method of evaluating collateral ventilation of a target lung compartment of a patient, the method comprising:

• positioning an instrument within a lung passageway leading to the target lung compartment so that the target lung compartment is isolated;
• allowing the patient to inhale air;
• generating at least one measurement of at least one characteristic of the inhaled air within or exiting the target lung compartment with the use of the instrument;
• and
• determining a level of collateral ventilation into the target lung compartment based on the at least one measurement.

A method of evaluating a patient for treatment of a target lung compartment, the method comprising:

• generating at least one measurement associated with the target lung compartment while the patient is breathing air;
• calculating a level of collateral ventilation into the target lung compartment based on the at least one measurement;
• and
• treating the patient based on the calculated level of collateral ventilation.