Collateral ventilation assessment system

A measurement apparatus configured to assess collateral ventilation in a lung, the measurement apparatus comprising:

• a flow meter input communicatively coupleable with an electronic flow meter positionable within a flow lumen to monitor a positive pressure flow into a selectively occluded lobe of a lung;
• a processing logic circuit communicatively coupled with the flow meter input and configured to:
• receive measurements of the positive pressure flow over time from the electronic flow meter;
• process the measurements to generate a digital representation of the positive pressure flow into the occluded lobe over time;
• and
• analyze the measurements to detect at least one characteristic indicative of collateral ventilation status, the at least one characteristic chosen from a continual decrease in the positive pressure flow indicating absence of collateral ventilation and a stabilization of the positive pressure flow indicating presence of collateral ventilation, and
• a display device communicatively coupled with the processing logic circuit and configured to receive the digital representation and visually present the positive pressure flow over time, wherein the digital representation includes an indication of the collateral ventilation status based on the analyzed measurements.

An apparatus for monitoring collateral ventilation assessment, the apparatus comprising:

• a flow meter input configured to receive flow measurements from an external electronic flow meter that monitors a positive pressure flow introduced into a selectively occluded lobe of a lung;
• a processing circuit communicatively coupled with the flow meter input and configured to:
• receive the flow measurements over a measurement period;
• determine a flow trend from the flow measurements, the flow trend comprising at least one of a continual decrease in flow or a stabilization of flow;
• and
• generate display data representing the flow measurements and the flow trend;
• a display communicatively coupled with the processing circuit and configured to present a visual representation of the flow measurements over time;
• and
• wherein the visual representation includes at least one visual indicator distinguishing between:
• a first condition where the flow trend indicates a continual decrease corresponding to absence of collateral ventilation;
• and
• a second condition where the flow trend indicates a stabilization corresponding to presence of collateral ventilation.

A system for assessing collateral ventilation in a patient's lung, the system comprising:

• an occlusion device insertable into a bronchial passageway to selectively occlude a lobe of a lung;
• a flow lumen extending through the occlusion device to a distal end and configured to deliver a positive pressure flow into the occluded lobe;
• a check valve pneumatically couplable with the flow lumen to permit the positive pressure flow to pass to the distal end of the flow lumen and to prevent backflow from the distal end of the flow lumen;
• an electronic flow meter pneumatically coupled with the flow lumen and configured to measure the positive pressure flow passing through the flow lumen into the occluded lobe;
• a measurement and display apparatus comprising:
• a flow meter input communicatively coupled with the electronic flow meter;
• a processing logic circuit configured to:
• receive flow measurements from the electronic flow meter;
• process the flow measurements to identify a flow pattern indicative of at least one of presence or absence of collateral ventilation;
• and
• generate a graphical representation of the flow measurements over time;
• and
• a display device configured to present the graphical representation, wherein the graphical representation visually distinguishes between flow patterns indicating presence of collateral ventilation and flow patterns indicating absence of collateral ventilation.