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US 12,369,963 B1Granted
Methods and devices to treat nasal airways
AssigneeAerin Medical Inc.
InventorsScott J. Wolf, Andrew Frazier
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
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.
Claims27
A system for treatment, the system comprising:
- a treatment device comprising:
- a handle;
- a shaft extending from a distal end of the handle;
- a first treatment element disposed on the shaft and configured to change from a first configuration for insertion into a nasal cavity of a patient to a second configuration to contact a first tissue area in the nasal cavity;
- a second treatment element disposed on the shaft and configured to change from a third configuration for insertion into the nasal cavity to a fourth configuration to contact a second tissue area in the nasal cavity;
- a first array of bipolar electrode pairs disposed on the first treatment element, the first array of bipolar electrode pairs comprising multiple pairs of bipolar radiofrequency electrodes;
- and
- a second array of bipolar electrode pairs disposed on the second treatment element, the second array of bipolar electrode pairs comprising multiple pairs of bipolar radiofrequency electrodes;
- and
- a radiofrequency generator configured to provide both a first level of radiofrequency energy to the first array of bipolar electrode pairs and a second level of radiofrequency energy to the second array of bipolar electrode pairs,
- wherein the first level of radiofrequency energy is provided to the first array of bipolar electrode pairs irrespective of whether the second level of radiofrequency energy is concurrently provided to the second array of bipolar electrode pairs, and
- wherein the first array of bipolar electrode pairs is configured to be activated independent of the second array of bipolar electrode pairs.
9 more elements
A system for treatment, the system comprising:
- a treatment device comprising:
- a handle;
- a shaft extending from a distal end of the handle;
- a treatment element disposed on the shaft and configured to change from a first configuration for insertion into a nasal cavity of a patient to a second configuration to contact a tissue area in the nasal cavity;
- and
- an array of bipolar electrode pairs disposed on the treatment element, the array of bipolar electrode pairs comprising multiple pairs of bipolar radiofrequency electrodes;
- and
- a radiofrequency generator comprising:
- a first radiofrequency output channel connected to a first set of the multiple pairs of bipolar radiofrequency electrodes;
- and
- a second radiofrequency output channel connected to a second set of the multiple pairs of bipolar radiofrequency electrodes,
- wherein the radiofrequency generator is configured to control radiofrequency energy provided to the first radiofrequency output channel and the second radiofrequency output channel such that the first set of the multiple pairs of bipolar radiofrequency electrodes is configured to provide a consistent level of radiofrequency energy independent of the second set of the multiple pairs of bipolar radiofrequency electrodes.
9 more elements
A system for treatment, the system comprising:
- a treatment device comprising:
- a handle;
- a shaft extending from a distal end of the handle;
- a first treatment element disposed on the shaft and configured to change from a first configuration for insertion into a nasal cavity of a patient to a second configuration to contact a first tissue area in the nasal cavity;
- a second treatment element disposed on the shaft and configured to change from a third configuration for insertion into the nasal cavity to a fourth configuration to contact a second tissue area in the nasal cavity;
- a first array of bipolar electrode pairs disposed on the first treatment element, the first array of bipolar electrode pairs comprising multiple pairs of bipolar radiofrequency electrodes;
- and
- a second array of bipolar electrode pairs disposed on the second treatment element, the second array of bipolar electrode pairs comprising multiple pairs of bipolar radiofrequency electrodes;
- and
- a radiofrequency generator comprising:
- a first radiofrequency output channel;
- and
- a second radiofrequency output channel,
- wherein the first radiofrequency output channel is connected to the multiple pairs of bipolar radiofrequency electrodes of the first array of bipolar electrode pairs,
- wherein the second radiofrequency output channel is connected to the multiple pairs of bipolar radiofrequency electrodes of the second array of bipolar electrode pairs, and
- wherein the radiofrequency generator is configured to control radiofrequency energy provided to each of the first radiofrequency output channel and the second radiofrequency output channel to provide a repeatable treatment from each of the multiple pairs of bipolar radiofrequency electrodes of the first array of bipolar electrode pairs through the first radiofrequency output channel and each of the multiple pairs of bipolar radiofrequency electrodes of the second array of bipolar electrode pairs through the second radiofrequency output channel.
13 more elements
A system for treatment, the system comprising:
- a treatment device comprising:
- a handle;
- a shaft extending from a distal end of the handle;
- a treatment element disposed on the shaft and configured to change from a first configuration for insertion into a nasal cavity of a patient to a second configuration to contact a tissue area in the nasal cavity;
- and
- an array of bipolar electrode pairs disposed on the treatment element,
- wherein the array comprises multiple rows of bipolar electrode pairs,
- wherein each row of the multiple rows comprises multiple pairs of bipolar radiofrequency electrodes;
- and
- a radiofrequency generator configured to activate a first set of the multiple pairs of bipolar radiofrequency electrodes and a second set of the multiple pairs of bipolar radiofrequency electrodes separate from each other,
- wherein the radiofrequency generator is further configured to provide a first level of radiofrequency energy to the first set of the multiple pairs of bipolar radiofrequency electrodes and a second level of radiofrequency energy to the second set of the multiple pairs of bipolar radiofrequency electrodes, and
- wherein the first level of radiofrequency energy is provided to the first set of the multiple pairs of bipolar radiofrequency electrodes irrespective of whether the second level of radiofrequency energy is concurrently provided to the second set of the multiple pairs of bipolar radiofrequency electrodes.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.