Devices to treat nasal airways

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9433463-B2
Application number	US-201514864428-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 24, 2015
Priority date	Jun 14, 2011
Publication date	Sep 6, 2016
Grant date	Sep 6, 2016

Abstract

A device is described for treating a nasal airway by modifying a property of a nasal tissue of or near a nasal valve of the airway, without using a surgical incision or an implant, to decrease airflow resistance or perceived airflow resistance in the nasal airway. Various embodiments include an elongate shaft, a bipolar radiofrequency delivery member extending from one end of the shaft, and a handle attached to the elongate shaft at an opposite end from the radiofrequency delivery member. The radiofrequency delivery member is sized to be inserted into a nose and configured to at least temporarily deform the nasal tissue and deliver radiofrequency energy.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device for treating a nasal airway by modifying a property of a nasal tissue of or near a nasal valve of the airway, without using a surgical incision or an implant, to decrease airflow resistance or perceived airflow resistance in the nasal airway, the device comprising:
a handle;
an elongate shaft extending from a first end of the handle; and
a treatment element extending from a second end of the elongate shaft that is opposite the first end, wherein the treatment element is sized to be inserted into a nostril and configured to at least temporarily deform the nasal tissue and deliver radiofrequency energy to modify the property of the nasal tissue, and wherein the treatment element comprises:
a front, tissue contact surface having a convex shape configured to at least temporarily deform the nasal tissue into a concave shape;
a back surface; and

a monopolar radiofrequency electrode disposed on the tissue contact surface of the treatment element.

2. A device as in claim 1 , wherein the monopolar radiofrequency electrode is a needle electrode.

3. A device as in claim 1 , wherein the monopolar radiofrequency electrode is a protruding, non-penetrating electrode.

4. A device as in claim 1 , further comprising a grounding pad for attaching to a patient during a procedure.

5. A device as in claim 1 , wherein the treatment element has a width that is larger than a width of the elongate shaft.

6. A device as in claim 5 , wherein the treatment element has a length that is parallel to a longitudinal axis of the shaft.

7. A device as in claim 1 , further comprising at least one heat sensor disposed on the tissue contact surface.

8. A device as in claim 7 , wherein the at least one heat sensor comprises a thermocouple that protrudes from the tissue contact surface of the treatment element.

9. A device as in claim 7 , wherein the at least one heat sensor comprises multiple heat sensors disposed along the tissue contact surface.

10. A device as in claim 9 , wherein the multiple heat sensors comprise a first heat sensor configured to sense a first temperature of a first region of the tissue and a second heat sensor configured to sense a second temperature of a second region of the tissue, the second region being a more interior section of the tissue than the first region.

11. A device as in claim 1 , wherein the monopolar electrode comprises multiple monopolar electrode needles disposed in an array on the tissue contact surface.

12. A device as in claim 1 , wherein the monopolar electrode comprises an electrode plate.

13. A device as in claim 1 , further comprising an external mold attached to the handle via a second shaft, wherein the external mold is configured to apply pressure to an external surface of a nose to help the treatment element deform the nasal tissue.

14. A device as in claim 1 , further comprising a second shaft coupled with the handle for applying force to a portion of the nasal airway to help press the treatment element into the nasal tissue to be deformed.

15. A device as in claim 1 , further comprising a second shaft and a second treatment element, wherein the treatment element and the second treatment element are configured to treat two areas of nasal tissue at the same time.

16. A device as in claim 1 , further comprising a tissue cooling member coupled with the tissue contact surface near the monopolar radiofrequency electrode.

Assignees

• Aerin Medical Inc

Inventors

• Wolf Scott J
• Frazier Andrew

Classifications

• A61B2018/126

  bipolar · CPC title

• A61B2017/320069

  for ablating tissue · CPC title

• A61B2018/00708

  switching the power on or off · CPC title

• A61B2018/00922

  by switching or controlling the treatment energy directly within the hand-piece · CPC title

• A61B2018/0016

  Energy applicators arranged in a two- or three dimensional array · CPC title