A medical system for assisting with an intubation procedure for a patient. The system comprising airflow sensors configured to obtain data indicative of airflow in the patient's airway and physiological sensors configured to obtain information regarding airflow in the patient's lungs. The system further including a monitoring device communicatively coupled to the airflow sensors and the physiological sensors. The patient monitoring device comprising at least one processor coupled to memory and configured to: provide a user interface on a display and assist the rescuer in determining proper placement of an endotracheal tube, receive the data indicative of the airflow in the patient's airway, receive the physiological information regarding the airflow in the patient's lungs, and determine whether the tube is properly placed based on the received physiological information, and present an output of the determination of whether the ET tube was properly placed.

One aspect of the invention relates to a hydrogel comprising a non-natural polymer comprising a plurality of pendant nucleophilic groups and a crosslinker comprising at least two pendant electrophilic groups. Another aspect of the invention relates to a hydrogel comprising a non-natural polymer comprising a plurality of pendant electrophilic groups and a crosslinker comprising at least two pendant nucleophilic groups. Yet another aspect of the invention relates to a method for reducing lung volume in a patient comprising the step of administering a hydrogel composition as described herein. Further, hydrogels of the invention may be used to achieve pleurodesis, seal brochopleural fistulas, seal an air leak in a lung, achieve hemostasis, tissue sealing (e.g., blood vessels, internal organs), or any combination thereof. In certain embodiments, the compositions and methods described herein are intended for use in the treatment of patients with emphysema.

This invention relates to the treatment of a patient's lung, for example, a lung exhibiting chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and in particular to methods and devices for affecting lung volume reduction, preferably for achieving acute or immediate lung volume reduction following treatment. The lung volume reduction is effected by delivering a condensable vapor at a temperature above body temperature to the desired regions of the patient's lung to damage tissue therein. Blood flow and air flow to the damaged tissue region is essentially terminated, rendering the target region non-functional. Alternative energy sources may be used to effect the thermal damage to the lung tissue.

A device for introducing a material into a body cavity is shown. The device includes a catheter with a distal tip. A first lumen extends through the catheter. The catheter is configured to form a mist from liquid passed through the first lumen, for example including a misting nozzle in fluid communication with the first lumen and configured to provide a mist from a flow of liquid through the first lumen. An inflatable balloon may be included on the catheter to allow the user to isolate the portion of the body in which the material is introduced. Additional described features can provide for controlled deflection of a distal region of the catheter, guidewire or guide loop tool lumens, first and second misting nozzles on the catheter, and delivery apparatuses including the catheter devices coupled or that can be coupled to endoscopes such as bronchoscopes. Methods of use of the catheter devices and delivery apparatuses are also described.

Rhodamine dye is delivered to regions of a lung having heterogeneous alveolar flooding by alveolar liquid, thereby lowering the surface tension of the alveolar liquid so as to lessen ventilation injury directly and, by promoting equitable redistribution of the alveolar liquid among the alveoli of the lung, indirectly. The rhodamine dye is delivered with an albumin and/or an exogenous surfactant. Exemplary rhodamine dyes include sulforhodamine B and rhodamine WT.

A valve to perform lung volume reduction procedures is described. The valve is formed of a braided structure that is adapted for endoscopic insertion in a bronchial passage of a patient's lung. The braided structure has a proximal end and a distal end and is covered with a non porous coating adapted to prevent flow of air into the . A constricted portion of the braided structure is used to prevent flow of air through a central lumen of the structure, and to define at least one funnel shaped portion. The funnel shaped portion blocks the flow of air towards the constriction, i.e. towards the core of the lung. At least one hole is formed in the braided structure to permit flow of mucus from the distal end to the proximal end, to be expelled out of the lungs.

A fluid delivery and airway management device including a tubular member dimensioned for introducing a fluid into a trachea of a mammal, the tubular member having a proximal portion, a distal portion, and a middle portion between the proximal portion and the distal portion. The tubular member is dimensioned for positioning of the proximal portion in an oral cavity of a mammal, the middle portion in an oropharynx of the mammal and the distal portion in an esophagus of the mammal. An inflatable oral cavity balloon is positioned at the proximal portion and dimensioned to occlude the oral cavity. An inflatable esophageal balloon is positioned at the distal portion and dimensioned to occlude the esophagus. Apertures may he formed within the middle portion such that a fluid introduced into the tubular member is output through the apertures to a trachea.

This invention relates to the treatment of a patient's lung, for example, a lung exhibiting chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and in particular to methods and devices for affecting lung volume reduction, preferably for achieving acute or immediate lung volume reduction following treatment. The lung volume reduction is effected by delivering a condensable vapor at a temperature above body temperature to the desired regions of the patient's lung to damage tissue therein. Blood flow and air flow to the damaged tissue region is essentially terminated, rendering the target region non-functional. Alternative energy sources may be used to effect the thermal damage to the lung tissue.

A system includes a chest tube drainage system comprising a first chamber in fluid communication with a port connectable to a chest tube, a second chamber in fluid communication with a port connectable to a suction device, and a fluid seal connected to and disposed between the first chamber and the second chamber. The system also includes one or more gas sensors attached to the chest tube drainage system, the one or more gas sensors configured to detect at least one of gaseous carbon dioxide and gaseous oxygen, a controller connected to the one or more gas sensors, and at least one indicator coupled to the controller. The controller is configured to determine if a threshold level of carbon dioxide is exceeded, and to activate the at least one indicator if the threshold level of carbon dioxide is not exceeded.

A one way valve for a biological flow passage includes an elongated braided structure sized for insertion in the biological flow passage, a portion of the braided structure forming a substantially tubular shell, the braided structure maintaining an expanded operative shape after being deformed to a small dimension; a non-porous coating of the braided structure; a constricted portion of the elongated braided structure disposed between a proximal end and a distal end thereof, the constricted portion closing off a channel of the braided structure and defining at least one funnel shaped region of the braided structure to prevent flow towards the distal end; at least one hole formed in the non-porous coating, permitting a flow of one of air and fluid towards the proximal end; and an anchoring portion to retain the one way valve in a selected location within the biological flow passage.