The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 04, 2000
Filed:
Dec. 19, 1997
Michael D Laufer, Menlo Park, CA (US);
Donald A Tanaka, San Jose, CA (US);
Bryan E Loomas, Saratoga, CA (US);
Keith M Burger, San Francisco, CA (US);
Broncus Technologies, Inc., Mountain View, CA (US);
Abstract
A device and method for treating collapsed bronchial tubes found in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma are provided. The device which has a balloon at a distal end delivers energy so that the tissue is indirectly, i.e., conductively, heated by contact with a heated surface of the balloon which has been in turn heated by a heated fluid. The method includes heating the bronchial tube to cause at least a portion of the cross links of the collagen in the wall to unlink/open and subsequently form new cross links after the collagen fibers have realigned. The procedure effectively reinforces the structural integrity of the wall and thereby prevents the lumen from collapsing.