SINUS DILATION CATHETER

• US 20130030458A1
• Filed: 06/27/2012
• Published: 01/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Entellus Medical Incorporated (Stryker Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Entellus Medical Incorporated (Stryker Corporation)
• Inventors: Hanson, Anthony J., Drontle, John R., Lesch, Paul
• Granted Patent: US 9,486,614 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/196
• 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: A61M 1/76 Handpieces specially for suction-irrigation A61M1/774, aspiration tips A61M1/84
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0032 characterized by at least one unconventionally shaped lumen, e.g. polygons, ellipsoids, wedges or shapes comprising concave and convex parts
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/01 Introducing, guiding, advancing, emplacing or holding catheters A61M25/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 29/02 Dilators made of swellable material balloon catheters for angioplasty A61M25/104

Abstract

A balloon dilation catheter includes a substantially rigid inner guide member and a movable shaft coupled to a balloon that is slidably mounted on the substantially rigid inner guide member. To treat a sinus cavity of a subject using the balloon dilation the substantially rigid inner guide member is advanced into a drainage pathway of the sinus (e.g., frontal recess or maxillary sinus) of the subject via a nasal passageway. The shaft and balloon are advanced in a distal direction over the substantially rigid inner guide member to place the balloon in the drainage pathway. The balloon is inflated to expand or otherwise remodel the drainage pathway.

Claims

1. A method of treating a sinus cavity of a subject using a balloon dilation catheter having a substantially rigid inner guide member and a movable shaft coupled to a balloon that is slidably mounted on the substantially rigid inner guide member comprising:

positioning a distal tip of the substantially rigid inner guide member behind an uncinate process;

directing the distal tip along a lateral side of the uncinate process until the distal tip is positioned behind a lower aspect of the uncinate process;

directing the distal tip into a maxillary sinus ostium;

advancing the shaft and balloon in a distal direction over the substantially rigid inner guide member to place the balloon across the maxillary sinus ostium; and

inflating the balloon.

2. The method of claim 1, further including determining a position of the distal tip behind the uncinate process, wherein determining the position of the distal tip includes observing through the uncinate process a light emitted from the distal tip.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a distal portion of the substantially rigid inner guide member includes a bend with a distal leg that is between about 10 and about 12 millimeters in length.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the substantially rigid inner guide member is directed into a nasal cavity of the subject in a tip up orientation.

5. The method of claim 1, further including inserting a distal portion of a maxillary seeker into the maxillary sinus ostium prior to positioning the distal tip of the substantially rigid inner guide member behind the uncinate process.

6. A method of dilating an ethmoidal infundibulum of a subject using a balloon dilation catheter having a substantially rigid inner guide member and a movable shaft coupled to a balloon that is slidably mounted on the substantially rigid inner guide member comprising:

positioning a distal tip of the substantially rigid inner guide member behind an uncinate process at a first location within the ethmoidal infundibulum;

advancing the shaft and balloon in a distal direction over the substantially rigid inner guide member to place at least a portion of the balloon within the ethmoidal infundibulum; and

inflating the balloon.

7. The method of claim 6, further including repositioning the balloon at a second location in the ethmoidal infundibulum and inflating the balloon.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first location is behind an inferior aspect of the uncinate process and the second location is behind a superior aspect of the uncinate process.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein a maxillary sinus ostium of the subject is not dilated in the same surgical procedure.