US20040059263A1 — Device and method for measuring the diameter of a…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 53 words

1 . A device for measuring an inside diameter of a body lumen, the device comprising: a flexible catheter; and a member carried on a distal tip of the catheter, the member having a known transverse dimension and arranged for placement adjacent to opposing portions of an interior wall of the body lumen.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 53 words

1 . A device for measuring an inside diameter of a body lumen, the device comprising: a flexible catheter; and a member carried on a distal tip of the catheter, the member having a known transverse dimension and arranged for placement adjacent to opposing portions of an interior wall of the body lumen.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 101 words

2 . A device for measuring an inside diameter of an air passageway, the device comprising: a flexible catheter having an inflation lumen; a fluid dispenser in fluid communication with the inflation lumen and operable to communicate a measurable fluid volume change with the inflation lumen; and an expandable member in fluid communication with the inflation lumen and having a known relationship between fluid volume and a changeable transverse dimension, the transverse dimension being changeable in response to fluid volume changes of the fluid dispenser and arranged for placement adjacent to opposing portions of an interior wall of the air passageway.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 101 words

2 . A device for measuring an inside diameter of an air passageway, the device comprising: a flexible catheter having an inflation lumen; a fluid dispenser in fluid communication with the inflation lumen and operable to communicate a measurable fluid volume change with the inflation lumen; and an expandable member in fluid communication with the inflation lumen and having a known relationship between fluid volume and a changeable transverse dimension, the transverse dimension being changeable in response to fluid volume changes of the fluid dispenser and arranged for placement adjacent to opposing portions of an interior wall of the air passageway.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 21 words

3 . The device of claim 2 , wherein the expandable member includes dimensioning for transoral placement into the air passageway.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 16 words

4 . The device of claim 2 , wherein the catheter further includes a purge lumen.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 18 words

5 . The device of claim 2 , wherein the catheter is adapted to be steerable within bronchi.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 20 words

6 . The device of claim 2 , wherein the expandable member comprises a balloon that includes a complaint material.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 31 words

7 . The device of claim 2 , wherein the transverse dimension of the expandable member is arranged to have a maximum transverse dimension of between 3 mm and 12 mm.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 34 words

8 . The device of claim 2 , wherein the expandable member has a collapsed configuration for placement in the air passageway and an expanded configuration for measuring a diameter of the air passageway.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 49 words

9 . The device of claim 7 , wherein the expandable member is arranged to transition from the expanded configuration to the collapsed configuration while in the air passageway, and then to transition from the collapsed configuration to a re-expanded configuration for measuring the diameter of another air passageway.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 15 words

10 . The device of claim 2 , wherein the fluid dispenser comprises a syringe.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 44 words

11 . The device of claim 2 , wherein the fluid dispenser includes a piston and a proximal portion of the inflation lumen cooperatively acting as a piston/cylinder combination arranged to communicate a measurable fluid volume change with the remainder of the inflation lumen.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 16 words

12 . The device of claim 2 , wherein the fluid dispenser comprises a syringe pump.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 20 words

13 . The device of claim 2 , wherein the fluid dispenser further comprises gradations corresponding to air passageway diameters.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 20 words

14 . The device of claim 2 , wherein fluid communicated to the expandable member includes a radiopaque contrast substance.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 27 words

15 . The device of claim 2 , wherein the expandable member includes a radiopaque contrast marker arranged for visualization of the changeable transverse dimension by fluoroscopy.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 29 words

16 . The device of claim 2 , wherein the catheter has a distal end, and the expandable member is carried on the catheter proximal to the distal end.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 18 words

17 . The device of claim 2 , wherein the expandable member includes a balloon of compliant material.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 31 words

18 . The device of claim 2 , further including a visualization device for observing adjacency of the transverse dimension and opposing portions of the interior wall of the air passageway.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 15 words

19 . The device of claim 16 , wherein the visualization device includes a bronchoscope.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 15 words

20 . The device of claim 16 , wherein the visualization device includes a fluoroscope.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 105 words

21 . A device for measuring an inside diameter of an air passageway, the device comprising: a flexible catheter having an inflation lumen and a purge lumen; a fluid dispenser in fluid communication with the inflation lumen and operable to communicate a measurable fluid volume change with the inflation lumen; and an expandable member in fluid communication with the inflation lumen and having a known relationship between fluid volume and a changeable transverse dimension, the transverse dimension being changeable in response to fluid volume changes of the fluid dispenser and arranged for placement adjacent to opposing portions of an interior wall of the air passageway.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 105 words

21 . A device for measuring an inside diameter of an air passageway, the device comprising: a flexible catheter having an inflation lumen and a purge lumen; a fluid dispenser in fluid communication with the inflation lumen and operable to communicate a measurable fluid volume change with the inflation lumen; and an expandable member in fluid communication with the inflation lumen and having a known relationship between fluid volume and a changeable transverse dimension, the transverse dimension being changeable in response to fluid volume changes of the fluid dispenser and arranged for placement adjacent to opposing portions of an interior wall of the air passageway.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 21 words

22 . The device of claim 21 , wherein the expandable member includes dimensioning for transoral placement into the air passageway.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 108 words

23 . An assembly for use in measuring the inside diameter of an air passageway, the assembly comprising: a flexible catheter having an inflation lumen, the inflation lumen being arranged for fluid coupling with a fluid dispenser operable to communicate a measurable fluid volume change with the inflation lumen; and an expandable member in fluid communication with the inflation lumen and having a known relationship between fluid volume and a changeable transverse dimension, the transverse dimension of the expandable member being changeable in response to fluid volume changes of the fluid dispenser and arranged for placement adjacent to opposing portions of an interior wall of the air passageway.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 108 words

23 . An assembly for use in measuring the inside diameter of an air passageway, the assembly comprising: a flexible catheter having an inflation lumen, the inflation lumen being arranged for fluid coupling with a fluid dispenser operable to communicate a measurable fluid volume change with the inflation lumen; and an expandable member in fluid communication with the inflation lumen and having a known relationship between fluid volume and a changeable transverse dimension, the transverse dimension of the expandable member being changeable in response to fluid volume changes of the fluid dispenser and arranged for placement adjacent to opposing portions of an interior wall of the air passageway.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 17 words

24 . The assembly of claim 23 , wherein the expandable member is carried on the catheter.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 29 words

25 . The assembly of claim 24 , wherein the catheter has a distal end, and the expandable member is carried proximate to the distal end of the catheter.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 16 words

26 . The assembly of claim 23 , wherein the expandable member comprises a complaint material.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 18 words

27 . The assembly of claim 23 , wherein the expandable member includes a balloon of compliant material.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 31 words

28 . The assembly of claim 23 , further including a visualization device for observing adjacency of the transverse dimension and opposing portions of the interior wall of the air passageway.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 15 words

29 . The assembly of claim 28 , wherein the visualization device includes a bronchoscope.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 15 words

30 . The assembly of claim 28 , wherein the visualization device includes a fluoroscope.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 51 words

31 . A method of measuring an inside diameter of a body lumen, the method including the steps of: placing a member having a known transverse dimension in the body lumen; and determining that the known transverse dimension is adjacent to opposing portions of an inner periphery of the body lumen.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 51 words

31 . A method of measuring an inside diameter of a body lumen, the method including the steps of: placing a member having a known transverse dimension in the body lumen; and determining that the known transverse dimension is adjacent to opposing portions of an inner periphery of the body lumen.

Claim 37

Dependent Claim 91 words

32 . A method of measuring an inside diameter of an air passageway, the method including the steps of: placing an expandable member in the air passageway, the expandable member changeable in a transverse dimension and having a known relationship between fluid volume and changeable transverse dimension; changing the changeable transverse dimension of the expandable member to a known transverse dimension by changing the fluid volume of the expandable member; and determining that the known expanded transverse dimension is adjacent to opposing portions of an inner periphery of the air passageway.

Claim 38

Dependent Claim 91 words

32 . A method of measuring an inside diameter of an air passageway, the method including the steps of: placing an expandable member in the air passageway, the expandable member changeable in a transverse dimension and having a known relationship between fluid volume and changeable transverse dimension; changing the changeable transverse dimension of the expandable member to a known transverse dimension by changing the fluid volume of the expandable member; and determining that the known expanded transverse dimension is adjacent to opposing portions of an inner periphery of the air passageway.

Claim 39

Dependent Claim 61 words

33 . The method of claim 32 , including the further step of placing a fluid dispenser operable to communicate a measurable fluid volume change into fluid communication with the expandable member, and the step of changing to a known transverse dimension includes the further step of measurably changing the volume of fluid in the expandable member with the fluid dispenser.

Claim 40

Dependent Claim 15 words

34 . The method of claim 32 , wherein the fluid dispenser comprises a syringe.

Claim 41

Dependent Claim 35 words

35 . The method of claim 32 , wherein the fluid dispenser comprises gradations related to air passageway diameter, and the step of determining air passageway diameter includes the further step of observing the gradations.

Claim 42

Dependent Claim 34 words

36 . The method of claim 32 , wherein the step of placing an expandable member in the air passageway includes the further step of transorally placing the expandable member in the air passageway.

Claim 43

Dependent Claim 21 words

37 . The method of claim 32 , wherein the step of determining includes the further step of visually observing adjacency.

Claim 44

Dependent Claim 20 words

38 . The method of claim 37 , wherein the step of visually observing adjacency includes using a visualization device

Claim 45

Dependent Claim 15 words

39 . The method of claim 38 , wherein the visualization device includes a bronchoscope.

Claim 46

Dependent Claim 15 words

40 . The method of claim 38 , wherein the visualization device includes a fluoroscope.

Claim 47

Dependent Claim 25 words

41 . The method of claim 32 , wherein the expandable member includes a radiopaque contrast substance arranged to enhance viewing the changeable transverse dimension.

Claim 48

Dependent Claim 35 words

42 . The method of claim 32 , wherein the expandable member includes a radiopaque contrast substance arranged to enhance viewing the changeable transverse dimension, and further wherein the step of determining adjacency uses fluoroscopy.

Claim 49

Dependent Claim 18 words

43 . The method of claim 32 , wherein the expandable member includes a balloon of compliant material.

Claim 50

Dependent Claim 52 words

44 . A device for measuring an inside diameter of an air passageway, the device comprising: means for placing a member having a known transverse dimension in the air passageway; and means for determining that the known transverse dimension is adjacent to opposing portions of an inner periphery of the air passageway.

Claim 51

Dependent Claim 52 words

44 . A device for measuring an inside diameter of an air passageway, the device comprising: means for placing a member having a known transverse dimension in the air passageway; and means for determining that the known transverse dimension is adjacent to opposing portions of an inner periphery of the air passageway.

Claim 52

Dependent Claim 87 words

45 . A device for measuring an inside diameter of an air passageway, the device comprising: means for placing an expandable member in the air passageway, the expandable member changeable in a transverse dimension and having a known relationship between volume and changeable transverse dimension; means for changing the changeable transverse dimension to a known transverse dimension by changing the volume of the expandable member; and means for determining that the known transverse dimension is adjacent to opposing portions of an inner periphery of the air passageway.

Claim 53

Dependent Claim 87 words

45 . A device for measuring an inside diameter of an air passageway, the device comprising: means for placing an expandable member in the air passageway, the expandable member changeable in a transverse dimension and having a known relationship between volume and changeable transverse dimension; means for changing the changeable transverse dimension to a known transverse dimension by changing the volume of the expandable member; and means for determining that the known transverse dimension is adjacent to opposing portions of an inner periphery of the air passageway.

Device and method for measuring the diameter of an air passageway

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