Methods for reducing mucus production

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12527618-B2
Application number	US-202519242518-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 18, 2025
Priority date	Jun 14, 2011
Publication date	Jan 20, 2026
Grant date	Jan 20, 2026

Abstract

Methods and devices for treating nasal airways are provided. Such devices and methods may improve airflow through an internal and/or external nasal valve, and comprise the use of mechanical re-shaping, energy application and other treatments to modify the shape, structure, and/or air flow characteristics of an internal nasal valve, an external nasal valve or other nasal airways.

First claim

We claim:

1 . A method for treating tissue, the method comprising:
advancing a treatment device into a nasal cavity of a patient, the treatment device comprising:
a shaft;
one or more treatment elements disposed on the shaft;
an array of electrodes disposed on the one or more treatment elements, the array of electrodes comprising multiple pairs of bipolar radiofrequency electrodes; and
a plurality of individual electrical subsystems, each of the plurality of individual electrical subsystems comprising (a) a subset of pairs of the multiple pairs of bipolar radiofrequency electrodes and (b) an individual output channel,
wherein each of the individual output channels are electrically isolated from the individual output channels of the other individual electrical subsystems in order to allow for independent adjustment of each of the individual electrical subsystems of the plurality of individual electrical subsystems; and

applying radiofrequency energy to activate a first individual electrical subsystem of the plurality of individual electrical subsystems to treat nerve tissue in a first area, wherein the first individual electrical subsystem of the plurality of individual electrical subsystems is activated to achieve a first level of radiofrequency energy irrespective of whether a second individual electrical subsystem of the plurality of individual electrical subsystems is concurrently activated to achieve a second level of radiofrequency energy.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the array of electrodes comprises multiple rows of electrodes, and wherein each of the multiple rows of electrodes comprises multiple bipolar electrode pairs.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the array of electrodes comprises multiple rows of electrodes, and wherein each of the multiple rows of electrodes comprises at least three electrodes.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of applying the radiofrequency energy comprises causing a radiofrequency generator to deliver the first level of radiofrequency energy to the first individual electrical subsystem of the plurality of individual electrical subsystems.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the step of applying the radiofrequency energy further comprises causing the radiofrequency generator to deliver the second level of radiofrequency energy to the second individual electrical subsystem of the plurality of individual electrical subsystems, and, wherein the first level of radiofrequency energy and the second level of radiofrequency energy are delivered concurrently without affecting each other.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of applying the radiofrequency energy comprises:
causing a radiofrequency generator to energize a first electrical channel to activate the first individual electrical subsystem of the plurality of individual electrical subsystems to the first level of radiofrequency energy, and applying the second level of radiofrequency energy by causing the radiofrequency generator to energize a second electrical channel to activate the second individual electrical subsystem of the plurality of individual electrical subsystems, wherein the first electrical channel and the second electrical channel are electrically isolated from one another such that the first level of radiofrequency energy and the second level of radiofrequency energy are independently adjustable.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more treatment elements comprises a first treatment element configured to change from a first size for insertion into the nasal cavity to a second size to contact the first area in the nasal cavity and a second treatment element configured to change from a third size for insertion into the nasal cavity to a fourth size to contact a second area in the nasal cavity,
wherein the second size is larger than the first size, wherein the fourth size is larger than the third size, and wherein the first area in the nasal cavity and the second area in the nasal cavity are different.

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising controlling at least one characteristic of the first level of radiofrequency energy or the second level of radiofrequency energy with a control system coupled with the treatment device.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first level of radiofrequency energy and the second level of radiofrequency energy are different.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more treatment elements has an elongate head with the array of electrodes formed thereon.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein treating the nerve tissue comprises ablating the nerve tissue.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first individual electrical subsystem of the plurality of individual electrical subsystems comprises a first subset of the array of electrodes, and the second individual electrical subsystem of the plurality of individual electrical subsystems comprises a second subset of the array of electrodes, the first subset of the array of electrodes treating nerve tissue in the first area with the first level of radiofrequency energy and the second subset of the array of electrodes treating nerve tissue in a second area with the second level of radiofrequency energy, wherein the first area and the second area are different.

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the subset of pairs of the array of electrodes of each of the plurality of individual electrical subsystems comprises a single electrode pair.

14 . A method for treating tissue, the method comprising:
advancing a treatment device into a nasal cavity of a patient, the treatment device comprising:
a shaft;
one or more treatment elements disposed on the shaft;
a plurality of rows of electrodes disposed on the one or more treatment elements, each row of the plurality of rows of electrodes comprising multiple pairs of bipolar radiofrequency electrodes; and
a plurality of individual electrical subsystems, each of the plurality of individual electrical subsystems comprising (a) a subset of pairs of the multiple pairs of bipolar radiofrequency electrodes and (b) an individual output channel,
wherein each of the individual output channels are electrically isolated from the individual output channels of the other individual electrical subsystems in order to allow for independent adjustment of each of the individual electrical subsystems of the plurality of individual electrical subsystems;

providing radiofrequency energy at a first level of radiofrequency energy to a first individual electrical subsystem of the plurality of individual electrical subsystems; providing radiofrequency energy at a second level of radiofrequency energy to a second individual electrical subsystem of the plurality of individual electrical subsystems; and treating nerve tissue in a nasal cavity with one or more of the first individual electrical subsystem of the plurality of individual electrical subsystems and the second individual electrical subsystem of the plurality of individual electrical subsystems, wherein, when the first level of radiofrequency energy is provided to the first individual electrical subsystem of the plurality of individual electrical subsystems, the second level of radiofrequency energy is provided concurrently to the second individual electrical subsystem of the plurality of individual electrical subsystems without affecting the first level of radiofrequency energy, and wherein the first level of radiofrequency energy and the second level of radiofrequency energy are independently adjustable due to the electrical isolation of each individual output channel.

Assignees

• Aerin Medical Inc

Inventors

• Wolf Scott J
• Frazier Andrew

Classifications

• A61N7/022

  intracavitary · CPC title

• A61M2025/105

  having a balloon suitable for drug delivery, e.g. by using holes for delivery, drug coating or membranes · CPC title

• A61M2025/0091

  the single injection needle being fixed · CPC title

• A61M25/10

  Balloon catheters ({A61M25/0125 takes precedence; embolectomy A61B17/22032; retractors A61B17/02;} inflatable balloons for placing stents or stent-grafts A61F2/958 {; stomach balloons for treatment of obesity A61F5/0003; oesophagal tubes A61J15/00}) · CPC title

• A61M25/0084

  being one or more injection needles · CPC title