Methods and Apparatus for Treating Disorders of the Ear Nose and Throat

• US 20080275483A1
• Filed: 10/30/2007
• Published: 11/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Acclarent Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Acclarent Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Morriss, John H., Ha, Hung V., Makower, Joshua, Muni, Ketan P., Kim, Isaac J., Chang, John Y., Vrany, Julia D.
• Application Number:
  US11/929,808
• Publication Number:
  US 20080275483A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/192
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/233 for the nose, i.e. nasoscopes , e.g. testing of patency of Eustachian tubes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/313 for introducing through surgical openings, e.g. laparoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/0233 Pointed or sharp biopsy instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/06 Biopsy forceps , e.g. with cup-shaped jaws
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0218 for minimally invasive surgery A61B17/0281, A61B17/0469, A61B17/12013, A61B17/1285, A61B17/29, A61B17/320016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1688 for the sinus or nose
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/24 for use in the oral cavity, larynx, bronchial passages or nose for medical inspection of cavities or tubes in the body A61B1/00; Tongue scrapers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/29 Forceps for use in minimally invasive surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3201 Scissors for biopsy A61B10/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/32053 Punch like cutting instruments, e.g. using a cylindrical or oval knife A61B17/326 takes precedence; trepans A61B17/1695; for use on the cornea A61F9/007
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/32056 Surgical snare instruments for removing or smashing calculi A61B2017/2212; tonsillotomes A61B17/26
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/320725 with radially expandable cutting or abrading elements A61B17/32075 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/320758 with a rotating cutting instrument, e.g. motor driven A61B17/320725, A61B17/32075 and A61B17/320783 take precedence; for removing intra-ocular material A61F9/00763; endoscopic rotatable cutting instruments A61B17/32002
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/320783 through side-hole, e.g. sliding or rotating cutter inside catheter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3478 Endoscopic needles, e.g. for infusion biopsy needles A61B10/0233; catheters with injection needles A61M25/0067
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/02 by cooling, e.g. cryogenic techniques devices for cooling specific reflex points of the body within cell-life limits A61H39/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/042 using additional gas becoming plasma
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/12 by passing a current through the tissue to be heated, e.g. high-frequency current
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/18 by applying electromagnetic radiation, e.g. microwaves radiation therapy A61N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00477 Coupling A61B2017/0046 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22061 : for spreading elements apart
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320052 : Guides for cutting instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320064 : with tissue or sample retaining means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00327 : Ear, nose or throat
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00595 : Cauterization
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0212 : using an instrument inserted into a body lumen, e.g. catheter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1405 : Electrodes having a specific shape
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2217/005 : with suction drainage system
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2217/007 : with irrigation system
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 11/20 : Ear surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/2005 : specially adapted for the nose cavity
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/18 : Internal ear or nose parts, e.g. ear-drums implants for middle ear ventilation or drainage A61F11/202
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/186 : Nose parts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/82 : Devices providing patency to, or preventing collapsing of, tubular structures of the body, e.g. stents stent-grafts for tubular structures of the body other than blood vessels A61F2/04; stent-grafts for blood vessels A61F2/07; instruments specially adapted for placement or removal of stents or stent-grafts A61F2/95; for closing wounds, or holding wounds closed A61B17/04 - A61B17/115; dilators A61M29/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0039 : differing in diameter
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0434 : Cuffs
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/10 : Balloon catheters A61M25/0125 takes precedence; embolectomy A61B17/22032; retractors A61B17/02; inflatable balloons for placing stents or stent-grafts A61F2/958 ; stomach balloons for treatment of obesity A61F5/0003; oesophagal tubes A61J15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 29/02 : Dilators made of swellable material balloon catheters for angioplasty A61M25/104
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 31/00 : Devices for introducing or retaining media, e.g. remedies, in cavities of the body A61M25/00 takes precedence ; introducing or retaining ophthalmic products into the ocular cavities A61F9/0008
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 31/005 : for contrast media
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0541 : Cochlear electrodes

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for treating disorders of the ear, nose, throat or paranasal sinuses, including methods and apparatus for dilating ostia, passageways and other anatomical structures, endoscopic methods and apparatus for endoscopic visualization of structures within the ear, nose, throat or paranasal sinuses, navigation devices for use in conjunction with image guidance or navigation system and hand held devices having pistol type grips and other handpieces.

Claims

1. An inflator handpiece device that is attachable to a balloon catheter or other balloon equipped device and useable to inflate the balloon, said inflator handpiece device comprising:

a handpiece body configured to be grasped by a human hand, said handpiece body being attachable to the proximal end of a balloon catheter or other balloon equipped device;

an inflator housed on or in the handpiece body; and

an inflation trigger on the handpiece body, said inflation trigger being useable to cause the inflator to inflate the balloon.

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein the handpiece body comprises an elongate body having a grip member extending at an angle from the elongate body, said grip member being graspable by a human hand.

3. A device according to claim 1 wherein the inflator comprises a pump.

4. A device according to claim 3 wherein the inflation trigger comprises a trigger arm that is pulled to cause the pump to pump fluid into the balloon.

5. A device according to claim 3 wherein the pump is constructed to deliver a predetermined volume of fluid into the balloon.

6. A device according to claim 3 wherein the pump is constructed to inflate the balloon to a predetermined pressure.

7. A device according to claim 1 wherein the inflator comprises a source of compressed inflation fluid.

8. A device according to claim 7 wherein the inflation trigger opens a valve allowing compressed fluid to flow from the source of compressed fluid into the balloon.

9. A device according to claim 3 wherein the pump is constructed to deliver a predetermined volume of fluid into the balloon.

10. A device according to claim 3 wherein the pump is constructed to inflate the balloon to a predetermined pressure.

11. A device for dilating an ostium, passageway or anatomical structure within an ear, nose, throat or paranasal sinus of a human or animal subject, said device comprising:

a handpiece comprising an elongate body having a distal end and a proximal end and a grip member extending at an angle from the elongate handpiece body, said grip member being configured to be grasped by a human hand;

an elongate shaft attached to and extending from the distal end of the elongate body of the handpiece, said shaft having a lumen and an open distal end;

a dilator advanceable from the distal end of the shaft, said dilator having a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration;

a dilator advancement control on the handpiece useable to control advancement of the dilator out of the distal end of the shaft;

a dilator expansion control on the handpiece useable to control expansion of the dilator.

12. A device according to claim 11 wherein the dilator is on a tubular member having a lumen and wherein the device further comprises;

a guidewire that is advanceable through the lumen of the tubular member; and

a guidewire advancement control on the handpiece for controlling advancement of the guidewire.

13. A device according to claim 11 wherein the dilator comprises a balloon and wherein the dilator expansion control is operative to cause the balloon to inflate.

14. A device according to claim 13 further comprising apparatus on the handpiece for deflating the balloon such that the balloon returns to the collapsed configuration.

15. A device according to claim 13 wherein the dilator expansion control is connected to a pump that pumps inflation fluid into the balloon.

16. A device according to claim 15 wherein the pump is located in or on the handpiece.

17. A device according to claim 15 wherein the pump is operative to alternately i) inflate the balloon to its expanded configuration and ii) deflate the balloon to its collapsed configuration, and wherein the dilator expansion control is useable to alternately cause such inflation and deflation of the balloon.

18. A device according to claim 17 wherein the balloon is non-compliant and wherein the pump is operative to apply sufficient negative pressure to the balloon to cause the balloon to assume the collapsed configuration.

19. A device according to claim 13 wherein the dilator expansion control is connected to a source of compressed inflation fluid and is useable to cause pressurized inflation fluid to flow into the balloon.

20. A device according to claim 19 wherein the balloon is non-compliant and wherein the device further comprises apparatus for applying sufficient negative pressure to the balloon to cause it to assume the collapsed configuration.

21. A device according to claim 20 wherein the apparatus for applying sufficient negative pressure to the balloon comprises a port to which a negative pressure source may be connected to apply negative pressure to the balloon.

22. A device according to claim 11 wherein the handpiece, dilator advancement control and dilator expansion control are constructed such that the operator may grasp the handpiece, operate the dilator advancement control and operate the dilator expansion control with one hand.

23. A device according to claim 11 wherein the shaft has a proximal portion and a distal portion, the distal portion being more flexible than the proximal portion.

24. A device according to claim 11 wherein at least a portion of the shaft is malleable.

25. A device according to claim 11 wherein the dilator is located on an elongate member that is advanceable out of the distal end of the shaft, said elongate member having a distal portion and a proximal portion, the distal portion of said elongate member being more flexible than the proximal portion of said elongate member.

26. A device according to claim 25 further comprising a guidewire tip that extends distal to the dilator.

27. A device according to claim 26 wherein the guidewire tip is substantially fixed.