Treating upper airway nerve tissue

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018228533-A1
Application number	US-201815952985-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 13, 2018
Priority date	Jun 14, 2011
Publication date	Aug 16, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

Systems and methods for treating a patient's mucus hypersecretion condition are disclosed herein. Certain implementations may involve a method for reducing mucus secretion in an upper airway of a patient to treat at least one of post nasal drip or chronic cough. The method may include advancing a treatment delivery portion of an energy-based treatment device into a nostril of the patient. The treatment delivery portion may contact mucosal tissue of the upper airway without piercing the mucosal tissue. The treatment delivery portion may deliver treatment to at least one tissue selected from the group of the mucosal tissue and another tissue underlying the mucosal tissue to modify a property of the at least one tissue and thus treat at least one of post nasal drip or chronic cough in the patient.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for deactivating a target tissue in an airway of a patient to reduce mucus secretion, the method comprising:
advancing a treatment delivery portion of an energy-based treatment device into a nostril of the patient; contacting a surface of a mucosal tissue of the airway with the treatment delivery portion, without piercing the surface of the mucosal tissue; and delivering an energy-based treatment from the treatment delivery portion to a selected tissue depth to deactivate the target tissue underlying the mucosal tissue and thus reduce mucus secretion.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the target tissue comprises nerve tissue, and wherein delivering the energy-based treatment comprises ablating the nerve tissue.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the nerve tissue comprises the sphenopalatine ganglion.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the target tissue is selected from the group consisting of cilia, goblet cells, and submucosal tissue.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein delivering the energy-based treatment comprises delivering energy in a form selected from the group consisting of ultrasound, microwave, heat, radiofrequency, electrical, light, and laser energy.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein delivering the energy-based treatment comprises delivering radiofrequency energy from a first electrode on a tissue contact surface of the treatment delivery portion across a convex portion of the tissue contact surface to a second electrode on the tissue contact surface.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the first electrode and the second electrode comprise non-piercing bumps on the tissue contact surface, and wherein contacting the surface of the mucosal tissue comprises contacting the non-piercing bumps on the tissue contact surface with the surface of the mucosal tissue.

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
measuring an amount of delivered energy using a thermocouple on the treatment delivery portion; and adjusting the amount of delivered energy by adjusting a setting of the treatment delivery portion.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein delivering the energy-based treatment comprises applying cryotherapy.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the target tissue comprises nerve tissue, and wherein applying the cryotherapy comprises ablating the nerve tissue.

11 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising applying force against the surface of the mucosal tissue with the treatment delivery portion to mechanically alter a shape of the airway while delivering the energy-based treatment.

Assignees

• Aerin Medical Inc

Inventors

• Wolf Scott J
• Frazier Andrew

Classifications

• A61B2018/143

  multiple needles · CPC title

• A61M25/0084

  being one or more injection needles · CPC title

• A61B18/1485 Primary

  having a short rigid shaft for accessing the inner body through natural openings · CPC title

• A61B18/082

  Probes or electrodes therefor · CPC title

• A61B2018/0022

  Balloons · CPC title