Surgical instrument, system, and method for frontal sinus irrigation
First Claim
1. A surgical instrument for irrigating a frontal sinus target site of a patient, the instrument comprising:
- a handle;
an elongate introducer extending from the handle and defining a proximal segment and a distal segment terminating at a distal end, the introducer rigidly forming at least a portion of the proximal segment to be relatively linear and at least a portion of the distal segment to be relatively curved as compared to the relatively linear portion in longitudinal extension of the introducer from the handle, a rigidity of the relatively linear portion and the relatively curved portion characterized by each portion not elastically deforming in response to a manually applied bending force;
an irrigation channel comprising a tubular body extending through the introducer, the tubular body having a terminal first end, the first end disposed within the introducer adjacent to the distal end;
a nozzle fluidly connected to the irrigation channel at the first end of the tubular body, the nozzle is maintained partially within and rotatably assembled to the distal end of the introducer such that the nozzle is rotatable relative to the introducer; and
an actuator assembly including an actuator maintained by the handle and connected to the nozzle;
wherein the instrument is configured such that movement of the actuator causes the nozzle to rotate relative to the introducer.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A surgical instrument for irrigating a frontal sinus target site of a patient including a handle, an introducer, an irrigation channel, a nozzle, and an actuator assembly. The introducer extends from the handle and defines a proximal segment and a distal segment. At least a portion of the proximal segment is linear and at least a portion of the distal segment is relatively curved. The nozzle is fluidly connected to the irrigation channel, and is rotatably maintained at a distal end of the introducer. The actuator assembly includes an actuator maintained by the handle and connected to the nozzle. Movement of the actuator causes the nozzle to rotate relative to the introducer. The introducer can be sized and shaped in accordance with a size and a shape of a nasal passageway/frontal sinus of a human adult.
135 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A surgical instrument for irrigating a frontal sinus target site of a patient, the instrument comprising:
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a handle; an elongate introducer extending from the handle and defining a proximal segment and a distal segment terminating at a distal end, the introducer rigidly forming at least a portion of the proximal segment to be relatively linear and at least a portion of the distal segment to be relatively curved as compared to the relatively linear portion in longitudinal extension of the introducer from the handle, a rigidity of the relatively linear portion and the relatively curved portion characterized by each portion not elastically deforming in response to a manually applied bending force; an irrigation channel comprising a tubular body extending through the introducer, the tubular body having a terminal first end, the first end disposed within the introducer adjacent to the distal end; a nozzle fluidly connected to the irrigation channel at the first end of the tubular body, the nozzle is maintained partially within and rotatably assembled to the distal end of the introducer such that the nozzle is rotatable relative to the introducer; and an actuator assembly including an actuator maintained by the handle and connected to the nozzle;
wherein the instrument is configured such that movement of the actuator causes the nozzle to rotate relative to the introducer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A system for irrigating a frontal sinus target site of a human patient, the system comprising:
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a surgical irrigation instrument comprising; a handle, an elongate introducer extending from the handle and defining a proximal segment and a distal segment terminating at a distal end, the introducer rigidly forming at least a portion of the proximal segment to be relatively linear and at least a portion of the distal segment to be relatively curved as compared to the relatively linear portion in longitudinal extension of the introducer from the handle, a rigidity of the relatively linear portion and the relatively curved portion characterized by each portion not elastically deforming in response to a manually applied bending force, an irrigation channel comprising a tubular body extending through the introducer, the tubular body having a terminal first end disposed adjacent the distal end of the introducer, a nozzle fluidly connected to the irrigation channel at the first end of the tubular body and rotatably extending within and retained by the distal end of the introducer such that the nozzle is rotatable relative to the introducer, the distal end defining an inner diameter to rotatably capture the nozzle, and an actuator assembly including an actuator maintained by the handle and connected to the nozzle, wherein the instrument is configured such that movement of the actuator causes the nozzle to rotate relative to the introducer; and an irrigation source fluidly connected to the irrigation channel. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for irrigating a frontal sinus target site of a human patient, the method comprising:
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providing a surgical irrigation instrument comprising; a handle, an elongate introducer extending from the handle and defining a proximal segment and a distal segment terminating at a distal end, the introducer rigidly forming at least a portion of the proximal segment to be relatively linear and at least a portion of the distal segment to be relatively curved as compared to the relatively linear portion in longitudinal extension of the introducer from the handle, a rigidity of the relatively linear portion and the relatively curved portion characterized by each portion not elastically deforming in response to a manually applied bending force, an irrigation channel extending through the introducer, an irrigation assembly extending within the introducer and forming a portion of the irrigation channel, the irrigation assembly defining a proximal tube and a distal tube extending from the proximal tube, wherein the distal tube has a flexibility greater than a flexibility of the proximal tube and assumes a curvature defined by the introducer, a nozzle fluidly connected to the distal tube and rotatably maintained partially within the introducer at the distal end of the introducer, an actuator assembly including an actuator maintained by the handle and connected to the nozzle, wherein the instrument is configured such that movement of the actuator causes the nozzle to rotate relative to the introducer; surgically inserting the distal segment of the introducer into a naris of the patient; positioning the nozzle within a frontal sinus of the patient; dispensing a pressurized flow of an irrigant from the nozzle toward a target site surface of the frontal sinus; and rotating the nozzle relative to the introducer while dispensing the pressurized flow. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification