Lung access device

1. A method of using a steerable biopsy device to biopsy a solitary pulmonary nodule (SPN) located in a lung of a patient, the biopsy device comprising an outer sheath comprising a sheath body having a proximal sheath section and a distal sheath section, the outer sheath further comprising a distal sheath tip and a sheath lumen extending through the proximal sheath section and the distal sheath section, and terminating at a distal port in the distal sheath tip, the biopsy device further comprising a biopsy needle integrated with the sheath body, the biopsy needle being slidably disposed in the sheath lumen, the biopsy needle comprising a needle shaft and a distal needle tip configured for being displaced between a stored position within the sheath lumen and a deployed position outside of the distal port of the distal sheath tip, the method comprising:

navigating the steerable biopsy device through a bronchial airway of the patient;

actively articulating the distal sheath section to create a curve in the distal sheath section; and

distally advancing the needle shaft within the sheath lumen while maintaining the curve in the distal sheath section, thereby deploying the distal needle tip from the distal port of the distal sheath tip into the SPN, such that a biopsy sample is acquired from a first site of the SPN.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the SPN is located in parenchyma of the lung, the method further comprising:

passing the distal sheath tip through a wall of the bronchial airway into the parenchyma; and

tracking the distal sheath tip through the parenchyma to the SPN while actively articulating the distal sheath section, wherein the distal needle tip is deployed from the distal port of the distal sheath tip into the SPN while the distal sheath tip is in the parenchyma.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein passing the distal sheath tip through the wall of the bronchial airway into the parenchyma comprises:

distally advancing the needle shaft along the articulated distal sheath section while the distal sheath section is outside of the parenchyma in the bronchial airway, thereby deploying the distal needle tip from the distal port of the distal sheath tip, such that a hole is punctured in the wall of the bronchial airway; and

passing the distal sheath tip through the hole in the wall of the bronchial airway into the parenchyma.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising repeating the navigating, actively articulating, and distally advancing steps for a second site of the SPN different from the first site of the SPN.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising introducing a bronchoscope through the bronchial airway, wherein navigating the steerable biopsy device through the bronchial airway comprises introducing the steerable biopsy device through the bronchoscope into the bronchial airway.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the bronchoscope has only a single working channel, the single working channel having a diameter of 2.0 mm or less, and the steerable biopsy device is introduced through the single working lumen of the bronchoscope into the bronchial airway.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein actively articulating the distal sheath section comprises tensioning a pull wire affixed to the distal sheath section, and wherein maintaining the curve of the distal sheath section while the needle shaft is distally displaced within the sheath lumen comprises increasing a tension of the pull wire.

8. A method of biopsying a solitary pulmonary nodule (SPN) located in a lung of a patient using a steerable biopsy device comprising an outer sheath and a biopsy needle integrated in the outer sheath, the method comprising:

navigating the steerable biopsy device through a bronchial airway of the lung;

actively articulating the outer sheath to create a curve in the outer sheath; and

distally advancing the biopsy needle within the outer sheath while maintaining the curve in the outer sheath, thereby deploying the biopsy needle from the outer sheath, such that a biopsy sample is acquired from a first site of the SPN.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the SPN is located in parenchyma of the lung, the method further comprising:

passing the outer sheath through a wall of the bronchial airway into the parenchyma; and

tracking the outer sheath through the parenchyma to the SPN while actively articulating the outer sheath, wherein the biopsy needle is deployed from the outer sheath into the SPN while the outer sheath is in the parenchyma.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein passing the outer sheath through the wall of the bronchial airway into the parenchyma comprises:

distally advancing the biopsy needle along the articulated outer sheath while the outer sheath is outside of the parenchyma in the bronchial airway, thereby deploying the biopsy needle from the outer sheath, such that a hole is punctured in the wall of the bronchial airway; and

passing the outer sheath through the hole in the wall of the bronchial airway into the parenchyma.

11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising repeating the navigating, actively articulating, and distally advancing steps for a second site of the SPN different from the first site of the SPN.

12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising introducing a bronchoscope through the bronchial airway, wherein navigating the steerable biopsy device through the bronchial airway comprises introducing the steerable biopsy device through the bronchoscope into the bronchial airway.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the bronchoscope has only a single working channel, the single working channel having a diameter of 2.0 mm or less, and the steerable biopsy device is introduced through the single working lumen of the bronchoscope into the bronchial airway.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein actively articulating the outer sheath comprises tensioning a pull wire affixed to the outer sheath, and wherein maintaining the curve of the outer sheath while the biopsy needle is distally displaced within the outer sheath comprising increasing a tension of the pull wire.