Surgical instruments for creating a pneumostoma and treating chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

1. An instrument adapted to create a stoma into a lung of a patient the patient having a chest wall, a parietal membrane, a visceral membrane and a pleural cavity between the parietal membrane and visceral membrane, the stoma passing through the chest wall, the parietal membrane and the visceral membrane into parenchymal tissue of the lung and being sealed from the pleural cavity, wherein the instrument comprises:

an elongate tube having a proximal end, a distal end and a lumen;

an expandable device connected to the distal end of the elongate tube wherein the expandable device has a first configuration which is approximately the same in diameter as the elongate tube and a second configuration which is significantly larger in diameter than the elongate tube and wherein expansion of the expandable device from the first configuration to the second configuration is adapted to displace parenchymal tissue of the lung and securing the expandable device within the lung;

a grip attached to the proximal end of the tube wherein the grip having a protrusion;

a substantially non-flexible mandrel having a proximal end, a distal end, and a cap mounted to the proximal end;

a lever pivotally mounted on the grip wherein the lever can selectively engage the protrusion of the grip to secure the expandable device in the second configuration; and

one or more filaments connecting the lever and the expandable device such that operation of the lever pulls the filaments towards the proximal end of the tube thereby causing expansion of the expanding device from the first configuration to the second configuration,

wherein, when the mandrel is received in the lumen of the tube and the cap of the mandrel is engaged by the lever, the distal end of the mandrel engages the expandable device and maintains the expandable device in the first configuration.

2. The instrument of claim 1 , wherein the expanding device comprises an expanding basket.

3. The instrument of claim 1 , wherein:

the expanding device comprises a distal tube connected by a plurality of individual struts to a proximal tube;

the filaments are connected to the distal tube;

wherein operation of the lever pulls the filaments towards the proximal end of the tube thereby pulling the distal tube towards the proximal tube and causing the plurality of struts to bend outwards, thereby causing expansion of the expanding device from the first configuration to the second configuration.

4. The instrument of claim 1 , wherein the expanding device comprises one or more radiopaque markers which allow verification of the position and expansion of the expanding device within a lung of a patient.

5. The instrument of claim 1 , wherein the grip includes a catch adapted to secure the lever and thereby secure the expanding device in the second configuration.

6. The instrument of claim 5 , wherein the grip includes a device which prevents operation of the lever by the patient.

7. The instrument of claim 1 , wherein the expandable device comprises a plurality of arms which project from an axis of the elongate tube in the second configuration, the plurality of arms being covered with a thin flexible balloon.

8. The instrument of claim 1 , wherein the expanding device comprises one or more radiopaque markers positioned on the arms to allow visualization of the arms within a lung of a patient.

9. The instrument of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the elongate tube and expandable device comprises a chemical agent adapted to promote pleurodesis between the visceral membrane and the parietal membrane adjacent the stoma.

10. The instrument of claim 1 , in combination with a support block adapted to support the elongate tube such that a proximal portion of the elongate tube is oriented approximately parallel to a chest wall and a distal portion of the elongate tube is oriented approximately perpendicular to the chest wall.

11. The instrument of claim 1 , wherein the elongate tube comprises a metal reinforcing element which increases column strength of the elongate tube without preventing bending of the elongate tube.

12. The instrument of claim 1 , wherein the elongate tube comprises a coil spring which reduces kinking of the elongate tube upon bending of the elongate tube.

13. A pneumostomy instrument comprising:

a flexible tube having a proximal end, a distal end and a lumen;

a pneumoplasty device connected to the distal end of the flexible tube wherein the pneumoplasty device has first configuration which is approximately the same in diameter as the flexible tube and a second configuration which is significantly larger in diameter than the flexible tube;

an expandable device connected to the distal end of the flexible tube wherein the expandable device has a first configuration which has approximately the same diameter as the flexible tube and a second configuration which is significantly larger in diameter than the flexible tube;

a grip attached to the proximal end of the tube wherein the grip having a protrusion;

a substantially non-flexible mandrel having a proximal end, a distal end, and a cap mounted to the proximal end;

a lever pivotally mounted on the grip wherein the lever can selectively engage the protrusion of the grip to secure the pneumoplasty device in the second configuration; and

one or more filaments connecting the lever and the pneumoplasty device such that operation of the lever pulls the filaments towards the proximal end of the flexible tube thereby causing expansion of the pneumoplasty device from the first configuration to the second configuration,

wherein, when the mandrel is received in the lumen of the tube and the cap of the mandrel is engaged by the lever, the distal end of the mandrel engages the pneumoplasty device and maintains the pneumoplasty in the first configuration.

14. The instrument of claim 13 , wherein:

the pneumoplasty device comprises a distal tube connected by a plurality of individual struts to a proximal tube;

the filaments are connected to the distal tube;

wherein operation of the lever pulls the filaments towards the proximal end of the flexible tube thereby pulling the distal tube towards the proximal tube and causing the plurality of struts to bend outwards, thereby causing expansion of the expanding device from the first configuration to the second configuration.

15. The instrument of claim 13 , wherein the grip includes a catch adapted to secure the lever and thereby secure the pneumoplasty device in the second configuration.

16. The instrument of claim 15 , wherein the grip includes a device which prevents operation of the lever by the patient.

17. The instrument of claim 13 , wherein the expandable device is a balloon.

18. A method for forming a stoma into a lung of a person the person having a chest wall, a parietal membrane, a visceral membrane and a pleural cavity between the parietal membrane and visceral membrane, the stoma passing through the chest wall, the parietal membrane and the visceral membrane into the lung and being sealed from the pleural cavity, wherein the method comprises:

receiving an instrument having an expandable device at a distal end of a flexible tube, a manual actuator at a proximal end of the flexible tube, a mandrel engaged by the manual actuator within the flexible tube, and a grip having a protrusion;

making an incision in a chest wall of a patient;

placing the expandable device through the incision in the chest wall of the patient, through the parietal membrane and visceral membrane and into the lung of the patient;

removing the mandrel from a lumen of the flexible tube;

operating the manual actuator to cause the expanding device to transition from a first configuration which is similar in diameter as the flexible tube to a second configuration which is significantly larger in diameter than the flexible tube and thereby engage the lung of the patient;

positioning the expandable device in the second configuration with an engagement between the manual actuator and the protrusion of the grip;

applying traction to the proximal end of the tube to place the parietal membrane in contact with the visceral membrane surrounding the flexible tube;

and causing pleurodesis of the parietal membrane visceral membrane surrounding the flexible tube.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising:

inserting a mandrel into the lumen of the flexible tube to cause the expanding device to transition form the second configuration to the first configuration; and

removing the expanding device through the incision in the chest wall of the patient.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the expanding device is operated so as to create a cavity in a parenchymal tissue of the lung of the patient by displacing parenchymal tissue of the lung of the patient.