Method of treating COPD with artificial arterio-venous fistula and flow mediating systems

1. A method of treating COPD in a patient, comprising:

identifying symptoms of COPD;

creating an artificial fistula via a shunt between an artery and a vein of the patient such that an anatomical fistula of vascular tissue forms, wherein blood flows through the shunt between the artery and vein;

evaluating the patient after a stabilization period following the creation of the artificial fistula, wherein the stabilization period is sufficient to allow for long-term remodeling of a heart of the patient;

adjusting the blood flow through the fistula by restricting flow through another region of the vasculature different from the shunt; and

operating a flow-mediating device along the artery or vein to control bypass blood flow through the fistula as indicated to treat COPD.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining an optimum trade-off between a blood level, a cardiac output, and a heart rate of the patient.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the artificial fistula is a side-to-side fistula.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein blood flows through the shunt between the artery and vein until a blood plasma oxygen level (PaO2) and mixed venous oxygen level (SvO2) increases between 20% to 25% relative to the blood flow without the shunt.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein adjusting the blood flow through the fistula by restricting flow through another region of the vasculature different from the shunt occurs until a blood plasma oxygen level (PaO2) and mixed venous oxygen level (SvO2) level are between 10% to 20%.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the flow mediating device comprises an inflatable bladder system, wherein the inflatable bladder system comprises an inflatable cuff configured to substantially surround a portion of the patient's vasculature proximate the fistula.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the flow mediating device comprises an inflatable bladder, wherein the inflatable bladder is configured to impinge upon a portion of the patient's vasculature proximate the fistula.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein operating comprises squeezing or releasing the flow mediating device to mediate flow through the shunt.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the flow mediating device is positioned on the vein downstream from the fistula.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the flow mediating device is positioned on the artery upstream from the fistula.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein creating an artificial fistula comprises creating the artificial fistula between a femoral artery and femoral vein of the patient.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein creating an artificial fistula comprises creating the artificial fistula between one of the following vein/artery pairs:

the aorta and inferior vena cava, the femoral vein and the iliopopliteal vein or iliac vein, the carotid artery and the carotid vein or jugular vein, the brachial artery and brachial vein, and the brachio-cephallic artery and subclavian vein.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the flow mediating device is positioned on the external surface of the vein or the artery.

14. A method of treating COPD in a patient, comprising:

identifying symptoms of COPD;

creating an artificial fistula via a shunt between an artery and a vein of the patient such that an anatomical fistula of vascular tissue forms, wherein blood flows through the shunt between the artery and vein;

evaluating the patient after a stabilization period following the creation of the artificial fistula;

adjusting, the blood flow through the fistula by restricting flow through another region of the vasculature different from the shunt;

determining an optimum trade-off between a blood level, a cardiac output, and a heart rate of the patient; and

operating a flow-mediating device along the artery or vein to control bypass blood flow through the fistula as indicated to treat COPD.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the artificial fistula is a side-to-side fistula.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein operating the flow mediating, device comprises increasing the bypass blood flow such that cardiac output is increased.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein adjusting the blood flow comprises throttling the blood flow through the artery or vein to restrict the bypass blood flow through the fistula.

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein the flow mediating device is positioned on the external surface of the vein or the artery.

19. The method of claim 14 , wherein the flow mediating device does not contact the blood flow of the vein or the artery.

20. A method of treating COPD in a patient, comprising:

identifying symptoms of COPD;

creating an artificial fistula via a shunt between an artery and a vein of the patient;

installing a flow mediating device separate from the fistula and the shunt, wherein the flow mediating device is in contact against the artery or vein such that substantial blood flow through the fistula between the artery and vein is maintained when the flow mediating device is in use; and

operating the flow mediating device along the artery or vein by throttling blood flow through the artery or vein to restrict bypass blood flow through the fistula as indicated to treat COPD.