REMOVABLE ANCHORED LUNG VOLUME REDUCTION DEVICES AND METHODS
An intra-bronchial device may be placed and anchored in an air passageway of a patient to collapse a lung portion associated with the air passageway. The device includes an obstructing member that prevents air from being inhaled into the lung portion, and an anchor that anchors the obstruction device within the air passageway. The anchor may piercingly engage the air passageway wall. The anchor may be releasable from the air passageway for removal of the obstructing member. The anchor may be releasable by collapsing a portion of the obstructing member, or by drawing the obstructing member toward the larynx. The obstructing member may be a one-way valve.
1 . (canceled)
2 . An air passageway device, the device comprising:
an obstructing member having:
a closed distal end;
an opened proximal end; and
an axis extending between the closed distal end and the opened proximal end, the obstructing member configured to inhibit air flow in a distal direction past the air passageway device when the air passageway device is implanted in a target air passageway; and
a plurality of anchors connected to the distal end of the obstructing member, each of the plurality of anchors having:
a distal end; and
a proximal end positioned closer to the axis of the obstructing member than the distal end.
3 . The air passageway device of claim 2 , wherein the obstructing member is configured to exert a force upon a wall of the target airway passageway when the air passageway device is implanted in the target passageway.
4 . The air passageway device of claim 3 , wherein the obstructing member has an opened configuration and a closed configuration, and wherein the opened proximal end of the obstructing member has a perimeter larger than a perimeter of the target air passageway.
5 . The air passageway device of claim 2 , wherein the proximal end of each of the plurality of anchors is spaced from and distal of the closed distal end of the obstructing member.
6 . The air passageway device of claim 2 , comprising five anchors.
7 . The air passageway device of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of anchors are integrally formed with at least a portion of the obstructing member.
8 . The air passageway device of claim 2 , wherein the distal ends of the plurality of anchors are configured to exert a force upon a wall of the target air passageway when the air passageway device is implanted in the target air passageway.