Methods and Devices for Facilitating Visualization In a Surgical Environment
First Claim
1. A sinusitis treatment system comprising:
- an illuminating guidewire device having sufficient length to extend from a proximal end located outside a patient'"'"'s head to a distal end located within a paranasal sinus, the illuminating guidewire comprising;
a flexible distal end portion;
at least one light emitting element in the distal end portion; and
at least one structure extending from a proximal end of the device through the proximal end portion and at least part of the distal end portion to connect the at least one light emitting element with a power source;
a guide device having a lumen for passage of the illuminating guidewire into the paranasal sinus; and
a balloon catheter having a lumen for passage over the illuminating guidewire to position a balloon of the catheter within an opening into the paranasal sinus.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Devices and methods for visually confirming the positioning of a distal end portion of an illuminating device placed within a patient include inserting a distal end portion of an illuminating device internally into a patient, emitting light from the distal end portion of the illuminating device, observing transillumination resulting from the light emitted from the distal end portion of the illuminating device that occurs on an external surface of the patient, and correlating the location of the observed transillumination on the external surface of the patient with an internal location of the patient that underlies the location of observed transillumination, to confirm positioning of the distal end portion of the illuminating device.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A sinusitis treatment system comprising:
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an illuminating guidewire device having sufficient length to extend from a proximal end located outside a patient'"'"'s head to a distal end located within a paranasal sinus, the illuminating guidewire comprising; a flexible distal end portion; at least one light emitting element in the distal end portion; and at least one structure extending from a proximal end of the device through the proximal end portion and at least part of the distal end portion to connect the at least one light emitting element with a power source; a guide device having a lumen for passage of the illuminating guidewire into the paranasal sinus; and a balloon catheter having a lumen for passage over the illuminating guidewire to position a balloon of the catheter within an opening into the paranasal sinus. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification