Lung airway bypass stent and method for implanting and using the stent to treat emphysema

A method for implanting a stent in an airway of a lung, the method comprising:

• forming an opening in a wall of an airway of the lung;
• advancing a delivery tool through the airway wherein a distal end region of the delivery tool includes a catheter on which the stent, in a compressed configuration, is mounted and a sleeve extending over the catheter and stent;
• advancing the distal end region of the delivery tool from the airway and at least partially through the opening in the wall of the airway and into lung tissue adjacent the wall;
• positioning the stent in the opening by manipulating the distal end of the delivery tool;
• moving the sleeve or advancing the catheter to move a first flange of the stent to extend from the sleeve and be positioned in the lung tissue and to allow the first flange to at least partially expand from the compressed configuration, and
• further moving the sleeve or advancing the catheter such that stent is beyond the sleeve and the stent further expands from the compressed configuration into an expanded configuration.

A method for venting fluid from tissue in a lung, the method comprising:

• forming an opening in a wall of a lung airway near the tissue;
• inserting a collapsed stent into the opening;
• and
• expanding the stent so that the stent is anchored in the opening and an inlet flange of the stent is in the tissue and an outlet flange of the sent is in the airway,
• wherein the opening and the stent provide a pathway for fluid to vent or drain from the lung tissue into the airway.