Apparatus and methods for treating rhinitis
First Claim
1. A method for treating rhinitis of a patient, the method comprising:
- advancing a distal end of a probe through a nasal cavity of a patient, the probe having a probe shaft with a rigid planar member disposed at the distal end of the probe shaft, the rigid planar member formed by a rigid element having an elongate structure with arcuate edges to define an atraumatic surface;
positioning the distal end of the probe so that an expandable structure coupled to the distal end of the probe shaft and surrounding the rigid planar member is positioned in proximity of a lateral nasal wall tissue region of the patient having at least one posterior nasal nerve;
applying lateral pressure against the lateral nasal wall tissue region with the rigid planar member; and
cryogenically ablating the at least one posterior nasal nerve of the lateral nasal wall tissue region by delivering a cryogenic fluid into the expandable structure from a cryogenic fluid source fluidly connected to the expandable structure by a lumen disposed in the probe shaft such that the expandable structure is inflated from a deflated configuration to an expanded configuration in contact against the lateral nasal wall tissue region.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus and methods for treating conditions such as rhinitis are disclosed herein where a distal end of a probe shaft is introduced through the nasal cavity where the distal end has an end effector with a first configuration having a low-profile which is shaped to manipulate tissue within the nasal cavity. The distal end may be positioned into proximity of a tissue region having a post nasal nerve associated with a middle or inferior nasal turbinate. Once suitably positioned, the distal end may be reconfigured from the first configuration to a second configuration which is shaped to contact and follow the tissue region and the post nasal nerve may then be ablated via the distal end. Ablation may be performed using various mechanisms, such as cryotherapy, and optionally under direct visualization.
130 Citations
30 Claims
-
1. A method for treating rhinitis of a patient, the method comprising:
-
advancing a distal end of a probe through a nasal cavity of a patient, the probe having a probe shaft with a rigid planar member disposed at the distal end of the probe shaft, the rigid planar member formed by a rigid element having an elongate structure with arcuate edges to define an atraumatic surface; positioning the distal end of the probe so that an expandable structure coupled to the distal end of the probe shaft and surrounding the rigid planar member is positioned in proximity of a lateral nasal wall tissue region of the patient having at least one posterior nasal nerve; applying lateral pressure against the lateral nasal wall tissue region with the rigid planar member; and cryogenically ablating the at least one posterior nasal nerve of the lateral nasal wall tissue region by delivering a cryogenic fluid into the expandable structure from a cryogenic fluid source fluidly connected to the expandable structure by a lumen disposed in the probe shaft such that the expandable structure is inflated from a deflated configuration to an expanded configuration in contact against the lateral nasal wall tissue region. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 27, 28, 29, 30)
-
-
11. A method for treating rhinitis of a patient, the method comprising:
-
advancing a distal end of a probe through a nasal cavity of a patient, the probe having a probe shaft with a planar member disposed at the distal end of the probe shaft, the planar member having an elongate structure with arcuate edges to define an atraumatic surface; positioning the distal end of the probe so that an expandable structure coupled to the distal end of the probe shaft and surrounding the planar member is positioned in proximity of a lateral nasal wall tissue region of the patient having at least one posterior nasal nerve; applying lateral pressure against the lateral nasal wall tissue region with the planar member; and cryogenically ablating the at least one posterior nasal nerve of the lateral nasal wall tissue region by delivering a cryogenic fluid into the expandable structure from a cryogenic fluid source fluidly connected to the expandable structure by a lumen disposed in the probe shaft such that the expandable structure is inflated from a deflated configuration to an expanded configuration in contact against the lateral nasal wall tissue region. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
-
Specification