Mapping of nasal passages before and after a procedure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11666352-B2
Application number	US-202017062966-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 5, 2020
Priority date	Apr 24, 2017
Publication date	Jun 6, 2023
Grant date	Jun 6, 2023

Abstract

Apparatus, including a probe having a distal end insertable into a nasal sinus of a human patient, and a location sensor positioned within the distal end. A sinuplasty balloon is positioned on the distal end at a selected opening of the nasal sinus. A processor receives first signals from the location sensor while the distal end is inserted into the nasal sinus and prior to positioning of the balloon at the selected opening, and generates a first map of the sinus. The processor inflates the balloon when it is at the selected opening, so as to enlarge the selected opening, and subsequently deflates the balloon. The processor then receives second signals from the location sensor and generates therefrom a second map of the sinus. The processor registers the first map with the second map and generates from the registered maps a numerical increase in size of the selected opening.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. Apparatus, comprising:
a probe having a distal end configured to be inserted into a nasal sinus of a human patient;
a location sensor positioned within the distal end;
a sinuplasty balloon configured to be positioned on the distal end at a selected opening of the nasal sinus; and
a processor configured:
to receive first signals from the location sensor while the distal end is inserted into the nasal sinus of the patient and prior to positioning of the sinuplasty balloon at the selected opening, and to generate from the first signals a first map of the sinus,
to inflate the sinuplasty balloon when the balloon is positioned at the selected opening, so as to enlarge the selected opening, and subsequently to deflate the balloon,
to receive, subsequent to deflation of the balloon, second signals from the location sensor while the distal end is inserted into the sinus, and to generate therefrom a second map of the sinus,
to register the first map with the second map by assigning a high weight to parts of the map before and after the selected opening, and a low or zero weight to parts of the map corresponding to the selected opening, and
to generate from the registered maps a numerical increase in size of the selected opening.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , and comprising configuring the processor to receive an image of the nasal sinus prior to insertion of the distal end into the nasal sinus, and to identify from the image the selected opening within the sinus.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the distal end is configured to be inserted beyond the selected opening.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the sinuplasty balloon is configured to slide over the distal end.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein registering the first map with the second map comprises performing a registration process between the two maps while excluding the selected opening from the registration process.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1 , and comprising magnetic field generators configured to be fixedly positioned in proximity to the nasal sinus, and wherein the location sensor generates the first and second signals in response to magnetic fields from the generators traversing the sensor.

Assignees

• Biosense Webster Israel Ltd

Inventors

• Dekel Zvi
• Zoabi Akram
• Pinsky Yoav
• Racheli Noam
• Bustan Itamar

Classifications

• A61M25/09041

  Mechanisms for insertion of guide wires · CPC title

• A61B2034/2072

  Reference field transducer attached to an instrument or patient · CPC title

• A61B1/233

  for the nose, i.e. nasoscopes {, e.g. testing of patency of Eustachian tubes} · CPC title

• A61M29/02 Primary

  Dilators made of swellable material {(balloon catheters for angioplasty A61M25/104)} · CPC title

• A61B5/6851

  Guide wires · CPC title