Vent Cap for a Eustachian Tube Dilation System

• US 20150374963A1
• Filed: 06/27/2014
• Published: 12/31/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Acclarent Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Acclarent Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Chan, Randy S., Muni, Ketan P., Flagler, Robert W., Eslambolchi, Ali
• Granted Patent: US 10,350,396 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 2017/00907 for light
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 11/20 Ear surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 11/202 Surgical middle-ear ventilation or drainage, e.g. permanent; Implants therefor
• 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

Abstract

A device and method for dilating a Eustachian tube of a patient is disclosed. The device includes a guide catheter and a balloon dilation catheter. The balloon dilation catheter has an actuator that prevents injury to the middle ear. The balloon dilation catheter is slidably coupled with the guide catheter through the guide catheter lumen and is fully inserted into the guide catheter lumen when the distal side of the actuator is adjacent to the proximal end of the guide catheter. The method involves advancing the guide catheter and balloon dilation catheter through a nasal passage of the patient to dilate a portion of the Eustachian tube.

Claims

1. A system for use in dilating a Eustachian tube of a patient, the system comprising:

a balloon dilation catheter for accessing and treating the Eustachian tube through the nose of a human patient, said the balloon dilation catheter comprising;

an elongate shaft, the elongate shaft having a proximal end and a distal end and an inflation lumen therebetween;

an inflatable balloon positioned at the distal end of said elongate shaft;

a proximal connecter positioned at the proximal end of said elongate shaft, said proximal connector comprising an inflation port in fluid communication with the inflation lumen of the elongate shaft and an in-line port; and

a vent cap attached to said in-line port.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the attachment of the vent cap to the in-line port is reversible.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the vent cap is fixedly attached to the in-line port.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the vent cap comprises one or more vent portions.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the vent cap comprises a top portion and a central post, wherein the central post is dimensioned for insertion into the in-line port.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein vent cap comprises a side portion with at least two side arms with gripping features for gripping to the in-line port.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the vent cap further comprises a top portion and a central post, wherein the central post is dimensioned for insertion into the in-line port.

8. A vent cap for attachment to an in-line port of a balloon catheter, the in-line port having a lumen and an outside surface, the balloon catheter further having in inflation port, the vent cap comprising:

a top portion, and

a central post dimensioned for insertion into the lumen of the in-line port of the balloon catheter.

9. The vent cap of claim 8 wherein the attachment of the vent cap to the in-line port is reversible.

10. The vent cap of claim 8 wherein the vent cap is fixedly attached to the in-line port.

11. The vent cap of claim 8 wherein the vent cap comprises one or more vent portions.

12. The vent cap of claim 8 wherein vent cap further comprises a side portion with at least two side arms with gripping features for gripping to the outer surface of the in-line port.

13. The vent cap of claim 13 wherein the vent cap further comprises a top portion and a central post, wherein the central post is dimensioned for insertion into the lumen of the in-line port.

14. A vent cap for attachment to an in-line port of a balloon catheter, the in-line port having a lumen and an outside surface, the balloon catheter further having in inflation port, the vent cap comprising:

a top portion, and

a side portion with at least two side arms with gripping features for gripping to the surface of the in-line port.

15. The vent cap of claim 14 wherein the attachment of the vent cap to the in-line port is reversible.

16. The vent cap of claim 14 wherein the vent cap is fixedly attached to the in-line port.

17. The vent cap of claim 14 wherein the vent cap comprises one or more vent portions.

18. The vent cap of claim 14 wherein vent cap further comprises a central post, wherein the central post is dimensioned for insertion into the lumen of the in-line port.

19. A kit comprising a vent cap and a vent cap removal device for removable attachment of the vent cap to an in-line port of a balloon catheter proximal connector;

wherein said vent cap comprises a top portion and a side portion, said side portion comprising at least two side arms with gripping features for gripping the in-line port; and

wherein said vent cap removal device comprises an engagement feature for engagement with the side arms of the vent cap for removal of the vent cap from the in-line port.

20. The kit of claim 19 wherein the vent cap further comprises a central post and wherein the in-line port comprises a lumen and wherein the central post is dimensioned for insertion into the lumen of the in-line port.