TYMPANIC MEMBRANE PRESSURE EQUALIZATION TUBE DELIVERY SYSTEM
First Claim
1. A system for forming an incision in a tympanic membrane and delivering a pressure equalization tube into the incision, the system comprising:
- a housing including a handle;
an elongate shaft assembly coupled with the housing, the shaft assembly comprising;
an outer shaft having a blunt distal tip portiona cutter linearly moveable within the outer shaft;
a pusher slidably disposed over the cutter within the outer shaft;
a pressure equalization tube slidably disposed about the cutter at a distal end of the pusher;
a shield slidably disposed over the pusher and the pressure equalization tube; and
a dilator slidably disposed over the shield;
a cam assembly comprising;
a cam shaft rotationally coupled within the housing, the cam shaft including a first cam profile, a second cam profile, a third cam profile, and a fourth cam profile;
a first cam follower moveably coupled to the first cam profile, the first cam follower attached to the cutter;
a second cam follower moveably coupled to the second cam profile, the second cam follower attached to the pusher;
a third cam follower moveably coupled to the third cam profile, the third cam follower attached to the shield;
a fourth cam follower moveably coupled to the fourth cam profile, the fourth cam follower attached to the dilator;
a spring biased between the housing and the cam shaft, the spring having a wound position which places a torsional load on the cam shaft, and a released position; and
a release member moveably coupled to the cam shaft, the release member having a first position which maintains the spring in the wound position and a second position which allows the spring to move into the released position;
wherein when the release member is moved into the released position, the spring is released to move the cam shaft and cause the cam followers to linearly move respective portions of the shaft assembly to form an incision in a tympanic membrane using the cutting member, dilate the incision using the dilator, and advance the pressure equalization tube out of the shield and into the incision using the pusher.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods are provided for automatically forming an incision in a tympanic membrane of an ear and placing a tympanic membrane pressure equalization tube into the incision. The systems include a housing with a shaft extending therefrom. A mechanism is disposed within the housing. A distal end of the shaft is placed against a tympanic membrane, and the mechanism is triggered to causes the tympanic membrane to be automatically incised and dilated and a tympanic membrane pressure equalization tube to be placed in the dilated incision.
140 Citations
36 Claims
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1. A system for forming an incision in a tympanic membrane and delivering a pressure equalization tube into the incision, the system comprising:
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a housing including a handle; an elongate shaft assembly coupled with the housing, the shaft assembly comprising; an outer shaft having a blunt distal tip portion a cutter linearly moveable within the outer shaft; a pusher slidably disposed over the cutter within the outer shaft; a pressure equalization tube slidably disposed about the cutter at a distal end of the pusher; a shield slidably disposed over the pusher and the pressure equalization tube; and a dilator slidably disposed over the shield; a cam assembly comprising; a cam shaft rotationally coupled within the housing, the cam shaft including a first cam profile, a second cam profile, a third cam profile, and a fourth cam profile; a first cam follower moveably coupled to the first cam profile, the first cam follower attached to the cutter; a second cam follower moveably coupled to the second cam profile, the second cam follower attached to the pusher; a third cam follower moveably coupled to the third cam profile, the third cam follower attached to the shield; a fourth cam follower moveably coupled to the fourth cam profile, the fourth cam follower attached to the dilator; a spring biased between the housing and the cam shaft, the spring having a wound position which places a torsional load on the cam shaft, and a released position; and a release member moveably coupled to the cam shaft, the release member having a first position which maintains the spring in the wound position and a second position which allows the spring to move into the released position; wherein when the release member is moved into the released position, the spring is released to move the cam shaft and cause the cam followers to linearly move respective portions of the shaft assembly to form an incision in a tympanic membrane using the cutting member, dilate the incision using the dilator, and advance the pressure equalization tube out of the shield and into the incision using the pusher. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A method for forming an incision and placing a pressure equalization tube in a tympanic membrane of an ear, the method comprising:
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contacting a blunt distal end of a shaft of a tube delivery device with a tympanic membrane; advancing a cutter out of the shaft distal end to form an incision in the tympanic membrane, wherein a dilator is disposed over at least a portion of the cutter; advancing a shield disposed over the cutter and within the dilator out of the shaft distal end and into the incision to dilate the dilator, wherein the shield is disposed over a pressure equalization tube; retracting the cutter into the shaft; retracting the shield into the shaft, thereby releasing a distal flange of the pressure equalization tube such that it assumes an expanded configuration; and pushing the pressure equalization tube out of the shield using a pusher disposed within the shield, thereby releasing a proximal flange of the pressure equalization tube such that it assumes an expanded configuration; wherein, after being pushed out of the shield, a middle portion of the pressure equalization tube is disposed within the incision in the tympanic membrane and the distal and proximal flanges are disposed on opposite sides of the incision. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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Specification