Lung reduction apparatus and method

The present invention is generally directed to an apparatus and method for treating Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). The present invention is more particularly directed to such an apparatus and method which may be implanted in the human body to provide lung size reduction by constricting at least a portion of a lung. An apparatus and method reduces the size of a lung. The apparatus includes a jacket of flexible fabric configured to cover at least a portion of the lung. A lace, carried by the jacket, collapses the jacket about the lung portion. The jacket may further include a drawstring circumscribing the jacket at the base for closing the open base of the jacket about the lung portion. The collapsing of the jacket may be employed for both reducing the size of the lung and maintaining the lung in a reduced size condition or the lung portion may be deflated prior to the placement of the jacket over the lung portion, in which case, the jacket serves to prevent re-expansion of the lung portion.