Pneumrx, Inc.

Verna Rodriguez

Mark L Mathis

Timothy R Machold

Jeffrey Wayne Etter

David Lehrberg

Scott Kaarto

Guidewires suitable for use in a system for implanting a lung volume reduction device are disclosed. The guidewire includes an outer sheath having proximal and distal ends, and comprising a proximal section, a transition section, and a distal section. The proximal section extends from the proximal end of the sheath to the transition section, and the distal section extends from the transition section to the distal end of the sheath. The distal section defines a bore extending from the transition section to the distal end of the sheath and an inner core having proximal and distal ends. The inner core extends through the bore of the distal section of the sheath, wherein the inner core is fixed to the sheath at the transition section, and wherein the distal end of the inner core is fixed to the distal end of the sheath at the distal end of the sheath.

Guidewire

A container for a medical device having a housing defining a cavity for receiving a device, such as a lung volume reduction coil, is disclosed. In some embodiments, the container includes a coupling zone external to the cavity, an exit aperture between the cavity and the coupling zone, and a bearing surface located within the cavity, the bearing surface, exit aperture and coupling zone defining an exit path along which the device can be moved for deployment from the container. The bearing surface is spaced from the exit aperture and arranged, together with the coupling zone, such that the exit path is substantially straight. In some embodiments, the cavity may be approximately cylindrical, and the bearing surface, the exit aperture, and the coupling zone are aligned such that the exit path extends in a direction that is substantially tangential to the cavity.

Containers for medical devices

The present invention generally provides improved medical devices, systems, and methods, particularly for treating one or both lungs of a patient with an implant, such as a coil, having a strength tuned to a patient's tissue treatment region. More particularly, embodiments of the present invention include a method for treating a lung of a patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The method comprises determining a regional tissue density of at least a portion of lung tissue of the patient and selecting between first and second coils based on the determined regional tissue density of the portion of lung tissue. In particular, the first coil has a first austenite final tuning and second coil has a second austenite final tuning different than the first tuning. Determining may comprise imaging at least the portion of lung tissue of the patient so as to identify a localized lung tissue density. Selecting may comprise matching the determined tissue density of the treatment region to a tuned strength of the first or second coil.

Growing community of inventors

Santa Cruz, CA, United States of America

Verna Rodriguez