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US 12,357,817 B2Granted
Nasal neuromodulation devices and methods
AssigneeAerin Medical Inc.
InventorScott J. Wolf
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for treating nerves in a nasal cavity starts with identifying a patient having a condition occurring outside the nasal cavity. The method then involves activating a console attached to a radiofrequency stylus, advancing a distal tip of the radiofrequency stylus into a nostril of the patient, contacting nasal mucosa lining the nasal cavity with a treatment surface of the distal tip, and delivering radiofrequency energy from one set of bipolar electrodes on the treatment surface of the distal tip to a second set of bipolar electrodes on the treatment surface, to treat at least one nerve underlying the nasal mucosa. Treating the nerve (or nerves) involves modulating activity of the nerve to ameliorate the condition occurring outside the nasal cavity.
Claims18
A method for treating headaches, the method comprising:
- identifying a patient suffering from headaches;
- activating a console attached to a radiofrequency stylus;
- advancing a distal tip of the radiofrequency stylus into a nasal cavity of the patient, wherein the distal tip comprises:
- a first treatment element having a first treatment surface, the first treatment surface configured to include
- a first plurality of bipolar radiofrequency electrodes disposed on the first treatment surface to treat a first tissue area of nasal mucosa;
- and
- a second treatment element positioned distal of the first treatment element, the second treatment element having a second treatment surface configured to include a second plurality of bipolar radiofrequency electrodes to treat a second tissue area of the nasal mucosa;
- contacting nasal mucosa lining the nasal cavity with the first treatment surface and the second treatment surface of the distal tip, to cause the first plurality of bipolar radiofrequency electrodes to contact the first tissue area and the second plurality of bipolar radiofrequency electrodes to contact the second tissue area of the nasal mucosa;
- applying a pressure with the first treatment surface or the second treatment surface on the nasal mucosa;
- determining, using the first treatment surface or the second treatment surface, if the pressure applied to the nasal mucosa is sufficient to confirm contact between the first treatment surface and the first tissue area or the second treatment surface and the second tissue area of the nasal mucosa;
- activating at least one electrode pair from the first plurality of bipolar radiofrequency electrodes or the second plurality of bipolar radiofrequency electrodes when the pressure applied by the first treatment surface is sufficient to confirm contact between the first treatment surface and the first tissue area or the pressure applied by the second treatment surface is sufficient to confirm contact between the second treatment surface and the second tissue area of the nasal mucosa;
- delivering radiofrequency energy to at least one electrode pair of the first plurality of bipolar radiofrequency electrodes to ablate at least one posterior nasal nerve underlying the first tissue area of the nasal mucosa;
- and
- delivering radiofrequency energy from the at least one electrode pair of the second plurality of bipolar radiofrequency electrodes to disrupt at least one posterior nasal nerve underlying the second tissue area of the nasal mucosa,
- wherein disrupting the at least one posterior nasal nerve ameliorates the headaches.
12 more elements
A method for treating headaches, the method comprising:
- identifying a patient suffering from headaches;
- advancing a distal tip of a radiofrequency stylus into a nasal cavity, wherein the distal tip comprises:
- a first treatment element having a first treatment surface, the first treatment surface configured to include
- a first plurality of bipolar radiofrequency electrodes disposed on the first treatment surface to treat a first tissue area of nasal mucosa;
- and
- a second treatment element configured to expand from a first configuration positioned inside the distal tip and a second configuration to contact a second tissue area of the nasal mucosa, the second treatment element having a second treatment surface configured to include a second plurality of bipolar radiofrequency electrodes to treat the second tissue area of the nasal mucosa;
- contacting nasal mucosa lining the nasal cavity with the first treatment surface and the second treatment surface of the distal tip, to cause the first plurality of bipolar radiofrequency electrodes to contact the first tissue area and the second plurality of bipolar radiofrequency electrodes to contact the second tissue area of the nasal mucosa;
- determining a pressure applied to the nasal mucosa the nasal cavity by the first treatment surface or the second treatment surface;
- activating at least one electrode pair from the first plurality of bipolar radiofrequency electrodes or the second plurality of bipolar radiofrequency electrodes, using a console in electrical communication with the at least one electrode pair, when the pressure applied by the first treatment surface is sufficient to confirm contact between the first treatment surface and the first tissue area or the pressure applied by the second treatment surface is sufficient to confirm contact between the second treatment surface and the second tissue area of the nasal mucosa;
- and
- delivering radiofrequency energy to the at least one electrode pair of the first plurality of bipolar radiofrequency electrodes on the first treatment surface to ablate at least one posterior nasal nerve underlying the first tissue area of the nasal mucosa and delivering radiofrequency energy to the at least one electrode pair of the second plurality of bipolar radiofrequency electrodes on the second treatment surface to ablate at least one posterior nasal nerve underlying the second tissue area of the nasal mucosa,
- wherein ablating the at least one posterior nasal nerve ameliorates the headaches.
9 more elements
A method for treating headaches, the method comprising:
- identifying a patient suffering from headaches;
- activating a console attached to a radiofrequency stylus;
- advancing a distal tip of a radiofrequency stylus into a nasal cavity, wherein the distal tip comprises:
- a first treatment element having a first treatment surface, the first treatment surface configured to include
- a first plurality of bipolar radiofrequency electrodes disposed on the first treatment surface to treat a first tissue area of nasal mucosa;
- and
- a second treatment element positioned distal of the first treatment element, the second treatment element having a second treatment surface configured to include a second plurality of bipolar radiofrequency electrodes to treat a second tissue area of the nasal mucosa;
- contacting the nasal mucosa of the nasal cavity with the first treatment surface and the second treatment surface, to cause at least one electrode pair of the first plurality of bipolar radiofrequency electrodes to contact the first tissue area and at least one electrode pair of the second plurality of bipolar radiofrequency electrodes to contact the second tissue area of the nasal mucosa;
- applying a pressure with the first treatment surface or the second treatment surface on the first tissue area or the second tissue area of the nasal mucosa;
- determining, using the first treatment surface or the second treatment surface, if the pressure applied to the nasal mucosa is sufficient to confirm contact between the first treatment surface and the first tissue area or the second treatment surface and the second tissue area of the nasal mucosa;
- activating at least one electrode pair from the first plurality of bipolar radiofrequency electrodes or the second plurality of bipolar radiofrequency electrodes when the pressure applied by the first treatment surface is sufficient to confirm contact between the first treatment surface and the first tissue area or the pressure applied by the second treatment surface is sufficient to confirm contact between the second treatment surface and the second tissue area of the nasal mucosa;
- measuring impedance with the at least one electrode pair from the first plurality of bipolar radiofrequency electrodes or the second plurality of bipolar radiofrequency electrodes;
- determining, via the console, that the impedance is within a desired range that indicates sufficient contact of the at least one electrode pair from the first plurality of bipolar radiofrequency electrodes with the first tissue area or the at least one electrode pair from the second plurality of bipolar radiofrequency electrodes with the second tissue area of the nasal mucosa;
- delivering radiofrequency energy to the at least one electrode pair of the first plurality of bipolar radiofrequency electrodes on the first treatment surface to ablate at least one posterior nasal nerve underlying the first tissue area of the nasal mucosa and delivering radiofrequency energy to the at least one electrode pair of the second plurality of bipolar radiofrequency electrodes on the second treatment surface to ablate at least one posterior nasal nerve underlying the second tissue area of the nasal mucosa;
- wherein ablating the at least one posterior nasal nerve ameliorates the headaches.
12 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.