Apparatus and method for ablating Eustachian tube

An apparatus, comprising:

• (a) a fluid connector;
• (b) a shaft defining a lumen, the shaft having a first outer diameter, a proximal end, and a distal end, the proximal end being coupled with the fluid connector;
• (c) a balloon at the distal end of the shaft, the balloon being in fluid communication with the lumen, the balloon being operable to transition between a non-expanded state and an expanded state, the balloon in the non-expanded state being sized to fit in a Eustachian tube of a patient, the balloon in the expanded state being sized to bear against tissue of the Eustachian tube, the shaft being flexible from the fluid connector to a proximal portion of the balloon;
• (d) a tip member at the distal end of the shaft, the tip member being positioned distal to the balloon, the tip member having a second outer diameter, the second outer diameter being larger than the first outer diameter;
• and
• (e) a heating feature being positioned axially along the longitudinal axis of the shaft and having the first outer diameter such that there is a constant diameter from the shaft to the heating feature so as to allow the balloon to wrap around the shaft and the heating feature to thereby include a first outer diameter inner portion, the heating feature being operable to ablate tissue of the Eustachian tube contacting the balloon in the expanded state, the heating feature including a thermal heating element, the thermal heating element being operable to heat fluid inflating the balloon, the balloon being configured to ablate tissue in response to heating of fluid inflating the balloon.