| abstract |
The devices disclosed herein are directed to altering gaseous flow within a lung to improve the expriation cycle of, for instance, an individual having chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. More particularly, these devices produce collateral openings or channels (112) through the airway wall (100) so that oxygen depleted/carbon dioxide rich air is able to pass directly out of the lung tissue to faciliate both the exchange of oxygen ultimately into the blood and/or to decompress hyper-inflated lungs. |