Apparatus and method for displacing the partition between the middle ear and the inner ear using a manually powered device
First Claim
1. Apparatus for treating a human ear having an outer ear canal separated from a middle ear by a tympanic membrane with a vent therethrough and an inner ear separated from the middle ear by a partition to treat the symptoms of Meniere'"'"'s disease comprisinga manual device operable by hand to pressurize air and including a reservoir for storing air pressurized by said manual device, said reservoir being capable of storing a quantity of air sufficient to produce a series of positive air pressure pulses;
- and pressure transmitting means communicating with said reservoir and configured to communicate with the outer ear canal to deliver air from said reservoir as a series of positive air pressure pulses to the middle ear via the vent to displace the partition to influence fluid distribution in the inner ear, said pressure transmitting means being capable of delivering the series of positive air pressure pulses from said quantity of air stored in said reservoir without additional air being pressurized by said manual device.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus and method for treating a disease or condition of the ear, such as Meniere'"'"'s disease or endolymphatic hydrops, includes a manual device operable by hand to pressurize air and pressure transmitting arrangement for delivering the pressurized air to the middle ear, preferably in pulses, to displace the partition between the middle ear and the inner ear to influence fluid in the inner ear.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. Apparatus for treating a human ear having an outer ear canal separated from a middle ear by a tympanic membrane with a vent therethrough and an inner ear separated from the middle ear by a partition to treat the symptoms of Meniere'"'"'s disease comprising
a manual device operable by hand to pressurize air and including a reservoir for storing air pressurized by said manual device, said reservoir being capable of storing a quantity of air sufficient to produce a series of positive air pressure pulses; - and
pressure transmitting means communicating with said reservoir and configured to communicate with the outer ear canal to deliver air from said reservoir as a series of positive air pressure pulses to the middle ear via the vent to displace the partition to influence fluid distribution in the inner ear, said pressure transmitting means being capable of delivering the series of positive air pressure pulses from said quantity of air stored in said reservoir without additional air being pressurized by said manual device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. Apparatus for treating a human ear having an outer ear canal separated from a middle ear by a tympanic membrane with a vent therethrough and an inner ear separated from the middle ear by a partition to treat the symptoms of Meniere'"'"'s disease comprising
a manual device, a chamber having resilient walls and squeezable by hand to pressurize air therein, and; pressure transmitting means communicating with said manual device and configured to communicate with the outer ear canal to deliver air pressure to the middle ear via the vent to displace the partition to influence fluid distribution in the inner ear, said pressure transmitting means including a reservoir communicating with said chamber for holding air pressure therein greater than ambient air pressure for delivery to the middle ear via the outer ear canal and the vent. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6)
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7. Apparatus for treating a human ear having an outer ear canal separated from a middle ear by a tympanic membrane with a vent therethrough and an inner ear separated from the middle ear by a partition to treat the symptoms of Meniere'"'"'s disease comprising
a manual device operable by hand to pressurize air; - and
pressure transmitting means communicating with said manual device and configured to communicate with the outer ear canal to deliver air pressure to the middle ear via the vent to displace the partition to influence fluid distribution in the inner ear, said pressure transmitting means including a passage delivering a static air pressure greater than ambient air pressure to the middle ear via the outer ear canal and the vent and means for generating air pressure pulses superimposed on said static air pressure to be delivered to the middle ear via the outer ear canal and the vent.
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8. Apparatus for treating a human ear having an outer ear canal separated from a middle ear by a tympanic membrane with a vent therethrough and an inner ear separated from the middle ear by a partition to treat the symptoms of Meniere'"'"'s disease comprising
a hand-operated, manual air pressurizing device including a chamber, a first check valve in a first port communicating with said chamber allowing air to enter said chamber and preventing air from exiting from said chamber and a second check valve in a second port communicating with said chamber allowing air to exit said chamber and preventing air from entering said chamber; - and
a pressure transmitting arrangement communicating with said second port of said hand-operated manual air pressurizing device receiving pressurized air from said chamber via said second check valve and configured to communicate with the outer ear canal, said pressure transmitting arrangement including a flow regulator downstream of said second check valve and operable independently of said hand-operated manual air pressurizing device to deliver the pressurized air in pulses to the middle ear via the vent to displace the partition to influence fluid in the inner ear.
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9. Apparatus for treating a human ear having an outer ear canal separated from a middle ear by a tympanic membrane with a vent therethrough and an inner ear separated from the middle ear by a partition to treat the symptoms of Meniere'"'"'s disease comprising
a hand-operated, manual air pressurizing device including a chamber, a first check valve in a first port communicating with said chamber allowing air to enter said chamber and preventing air from exiting from said chamber and a second check valve in a second port communicating with said chamber allowing air to exit said chamber and preventing air from entering said chamber; - and
a pressure transmitting arrangement communicating with said second port of said hand-operated manual air pressurizing device receiving pressurized air from said chamber and configured to communicate with the outer ear canal to deliver the air pressure to the middle ear via the vent to displace the partition to influence fluid in the inner ear, said pressure transmitting arrangement including a reservoir to establish a static air pressure greater than ambient air pressure for delivery to the middle ear via the outer ear canal and the vent. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for treating a human ear having a middle ear and an inner ear separated by a partition to treat the symptoms of Meniere'"'"'s disease comprising the steps of
manually pressurizing air, and thereafter delivering the manually pressurized air to the middle ear as a series of positive air pressure pulses to displace the partition to influence fluid distribution in the inner ear.
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16. A method for treating a human ear having a middle ear and an inner ear separated by a partition to treat the symptoms of Meniere'"'"'s disease comprising the steps of
manually pressurizing air; - and
delivering the manually pressurized air to the middle ear in pulses to displace the partition to influence fluid distribution in the inner ear, said delivering step including establishing a static air pressure in the middle ear greater than ambient air pressure and superimposing the pressurized air pulses on the static air pressure.
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Specification