Minimally invasive apparatus for internal ablation of turbinates

• US 5,827,277 A
• Filed: 01/29/1997
• Issued: 10/27/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Somnus Medical Technologies, Inc. (Olympus Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Somnus Medical Technologies, Inc. (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Edwards, Stuart D.
• Primary Examiner(s): PEFFLEY, MICHAEL F
• Application Number:
  US08/790,081
• Time in Patent Office: 636 Days
• Field of Search: 606/41, 606/42, 606/45, 606/50, 606/15, 606/16, 607/100-102, 607/122, 607/123, 128/642, 600/372-374
• US Class Current: 606/41
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1477 Needle-like probes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/148 having a short, rigid shaft for accessing the inner body transcutaneously, e.g. for neurosurgery or arthroscopy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1485 having a short rigid shaft for accessing the inner body through natural openings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1492 having a flexible, catheter-like structure, e.g. for heart ablation A61B18/1477 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/18 by applying electromagnetic radiation, e.g. microwaves radiation therapy A61N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00084 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00106 ultrasonic
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/4216 Operations on uterus, e.g. endometrium
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00029 open
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00065 porous
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00083 low, i.e. electrically insulating
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00214 Expandable means emitting energy, e.g. by elements carried thereon
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0022 Balloons
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00261 arranged in a line
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00559 Female reproductive organs
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00577 Ablation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00654 with individual control of each of a plurality of energy emitting elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00666 using a threshold value
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00678 upper
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00702 Power or energy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00708 : switching the power on or off
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00761 : Duration
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00791 : Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00827 : Current
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00869 : Phase
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00875 : Resistance or impedance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00886 : Duration
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00892 : Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00898 : Alarms or notifications created in response to an abnormal condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0091 : Handpieces of the surgical instrument or device
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00916 : with means for switching or controlling the main function of the instrument or device
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00982 : combined with or comprising means for visual or photographic inspections inside the body, e.g. endoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/046 : in liquid form
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/124 : switching the output to different electrodes, e.g. sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1472 : for use with liquid electrolyte, e.g. virtual electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2218/002 : Irrigation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0481 : through the cuff wall
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/1052 : for temporarily occluding a vessel for isolating a sector
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/1086 : having a special balloon surface topography, e.g. pores, protuberances, spikes or grooves
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/1002 : characterised by balloon shape A61M25/1006, A61M25/1009 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/06 : for high-frequency therapy
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/04 : Radiators for near-field treatment

Abstract

A method and apparatus for ablating at least a portion of a nasal concha. The apparatus includes a catheter having a distal portion with a dimension configured for positioning through a nostril of a patient into a nasal meatus adjacent a nasal concha, and an energy delivery device coupled to the catheter distal portion including one or more energy delivering probes extendable from the catheter distal portion a sufficient distance to be inserted into an interior of the nasal concha to deliver ablative energy therein. The distal portion of the apparatus may also include an expandable member, expansion of the expandable member within the nasal meatus immobilizing the distal portion within the nasal meatus.

Claims

1. An apparatus for ablating at least a portion of a nasal concha comprising:

a catheter having a distal portion with a length operable for positioning through a nostril of a patient into a nasal meatus adjacent a nasal concha, the catheter further including a catheter longitudinal axis and a catheter side wall; and

an energy delivery device coupled to the catheter distal portion including one or more energy delivering probes extendable from the catheter distal portion a sufficient distance to be inserted into an interior of the nasal concha to deliver ablative energy therein, wherein the one or more energy delivering probes are extendable from the catheter side wall in a lateral direction relative to the catheter longitudinal axis.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the one or more energy delivering probes extend a fixed distance from the catheter distal portion.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the distance the one or more energy delivering probes extend from the catheter distal portion can be varied.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the one or more energy delivering probes are retractable into the catheter distal portion and extendable from the catheter distal portion.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the energy delivery device includes at least two energy delivering probes.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the one or more energy delivering probes deliver energy selected from the group consisting of RF, microwave, ultrasonic, pulsed laser and diffuse laser energy.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the one or more energy delivering probes are needle electrodes for delivering RF energy.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the one or more energy delivering probes include an optical fiber for delivering laser energy.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the one or more energy delivering probes are antenna for delivering microwave energy.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the one or more energy delivering probes include transducers for delivering ultrasonic energy.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the apparatus further includes an insulator positioned adjacent at least a portion of the one or more energy delivering probes to prevent the delivery of energy therethrough.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the insulator is movable relative to the one or more energy delivering probes.

13. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the apparatus includes a signal generator coupleable to an energy source for generating pulses of electromagnetic energy having a frequency between about 300 and 700 megahertz.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the apparatus further includes a processor coupled to the signal generator for generating pulses of RF energy which provide between about 5 and about 30 watts of RF energy.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the apparatus further includes at least one sensor coupled to the processor.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the sensor measures a property selected from the group consisting of an amount of energy delivered by the energy delivery device, an amount of heat generated at a location, an amount of impedance generated, and a temperature at a location.

17. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the energy delivered to the energy delivery device is controlled by the processor in response to a measured property selected from the group consisting of an amount of energy delivered by the energy delivery device, an amount of heat generated at a location, an amount of impedance generated, and a temperature at a location.

18. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the apparatus includes a sensor for measuring the measured property.

19. An apparatus for ablating at least a portion of a nasal concha comprising:

a catheter having a distal portion with a length operable for positioning through a nostril of a patient into a nasal meatus adjacent a nasal concha, the catheter further including a catheter longitudinal axis and a catheter side wall;

an energy delivery device coupled to the catheter distal portion including one or more energy delivering probes extendable from the catheter distal portion a sufficient distance to be inserted into an interior of the nasal concha to deliver ablative energy therein, wherein the one or more energy delivering probes are extendable from the catheter side wall in a lateral direction relative to the catheter longitudinal axis; and

an energy source coupled to the energy delivery device for delivering energy to the probes.

20. The apparatus according to claim 19 wherein the energy source delivers energy to the one or more energy delivering probes selected from the group consisting of RF, microwave, ultrasonic, pulsed laser and diffuses laser energy.

21. The apparatus according to claim 20 wherein the one or more energy delivering probes are needle electrodes for delivering RF energy.

22. The apparatus according to claim 20 wherein the one or more energy delivering probes include an optical fiber for delivering laser energy.

23. The apparatus according to claim 20 wherein the one or more energy delivering probes are antenna for delivering microwave energy.

24. The apparatus according to claim 20 wherein the one or more energy delivering probes include transducers for delivering ultrasonic energy.

25. The apparatus according to claim 20 wherein the apparatus includes a signal generator coupled to the energy source for generating pulses of electromagnetic energy having a frequency between about 300 and 700 megahertz.

26. The apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the apparatus further includes a processor coupled to the signal generator for generating pulses of RF energy which provide between about 5 and about 30 watts of RF energy.