Disclosed herein are devices for altering gaseous flow within a lung to improve the expiration cycle of an individual, particularly individuals having chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). More particularly, a medical catheter (200) is disclosed to detect the presence of blood vessels and to produce collateral openings or channels through the airway wall so that air is able to pass directly out of the lung tissue to facilitate both the exchange of oxygen ultimately into the blood and/or to decompress hyper-inflated lungs.