Got bronchoscope? PneumRx out Mountain View, CA has received the CE mark of approval to bring its RePneu Lung Volume Reduction Coil to the European market. The device, made out of nitinol and delivered bronchoscopically, is designed to reduce lung volume in patients with advanced emphysema by grabbing and bunching up sections of the organ, hence improving V/Q mismatch in patients with overinflated lungs.
From the product page:
The RePneu™ LVRC is pre-formed into a coil shape, but is delivered to the lung in a straight configuration, through a bronchoscope. When the coil is deployed into the lung, it recovers to its original coil shape, gathering and compressing diseased tissue and allowing the healthy tissue to function better. Since the LVRC reduces lung volume by a simple mechanical means, its effect should be independent of the presence or absence of collateral flow.
The RePneu™ LVRC is delivered through a bronchoscope in a simple and short procedure, which is performed under conscious sedation or general anesthesia while using a proprietary Delivery System. The procedure does not require any surgical incision.
In our clinical trials, a typical RePneu LVRC procedure, in which 10 LVRC coils are implanted, takes between 20 and 40 minutes.
Animation demonstrating how the device is implanted…
Press release: PneumRx, Inc. Announces CE Mark Approval for Its RePneu® Lung Volume Reduction Coil (LVRC™) System…
Product page: RePneu Lung Volume Reduction Coil…