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US 12,369,973 B1Granted
Methods for reducing mucus production
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.
Claims29
A method for treating tissue, the method comprising:
- advancing a treatment device into a nasal cavity of a patient, the treatment device comprising:
- a shaft;
- 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;
- contacting the first treatment element directly with the first tissue area in the nasal cavity by changing the first treatment element from the first configuration to the second configuration;
- contacting the second treatment element directly with the second tissue area in the nasal cavity by changing the second treatment element from the third configuration to the fourth configuration;
- applying radiofrequency energy at a first level of radiofrequency energy with the first array of bipolar electrode pairs to the first tissue area or at a second level of radiofrequency energy with the second array of bipolar electrode pairs to the second tissue area,
- 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
- removing the treatment device from the nasal cavity.
10 more elements
A method for treating tissue, the method comprising:
- advancing a nasal cavity treatment device into a nasal cavity, the nasal cavity treatment device comprising:
- a shaft;
- 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 of bipolar electrode pairs comprises multiple pairs of bipolar radiofrequency electrodes;
- contacting the treatment element directly with the tissue area in the nasal cavity by changing the treatment element from the first configuration to the second configuration;
- providing radiofrequency energy, from a radiofrequency generator, to the array of bipolar electrode pairs an amount of time to treat the tissue area,
- wherein the radiofrequency generator comprises a first radiofrequency output channel that connects to a first set of multiple pairs of bipolar radiofrequency electrodes and a second radiofrequency output channel connected to a second set of multiple pairs of bipolar radiofrequency electrodes, and
- wherein the first radiofrequency output channel provides a consistent level of radiofrequency energy to the first set of multiple pairs of bipolar radiofrequency electrodes independent of the second radiofrequency output channel providing radiofrequency energy to the second set of multiple pairs of bipolar radiofrequency electrodes;
- and
- removing the nasal cavity treatment device from the nasal cavity.
9 more elements
A method for treating tissue, the method comprising:
- advancing a nasal cavity treatment device into a nasal cavity, the nasal cavity treatment device comprising:
- a shaft;
- 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;
- changing the first treatment element from the first configuration to the second configuration to contact the first tissue area in the nasal cavity;
- changing the second treatment element from the third configuration to the fourth configuration to contact the second tissue area in the nasal cavity, wherein the first treatment element is changed from the first configuration to a second configuration independent of the second treatment element;
- applying radiofrequency energy with the first array of bipolar electrode pairs or the second array of bipolar electrode pairs for an amount of time to treat the first tissue area or the second tissue area;
- wherein the radiofrequency energy is provided to the first array of bipolar electrodes and the second array of bipolar electrodes from a radiofrequency generator,
- wherein the radiofrequency generator comprises a first radiofrequency output channel that connects to the first array of bipolar electrode pairs and a second radiofrequency output channel that connects to the second array of bipolar electrode pairs;
- controlling the radiofrequency energy provided from the first radiofrequency output channel and the second radiofrequency output channel using the radiofrequency generator to provide a repeatable treatment from each of the multiple pairs of bipolar radiofrequency electrodes of the first array of bipolar electrode pairs and each of the multiple pairs of bipolar radiofrequency electrodes of the second array of bipolar electrode pairs;
- and
- removing the nasal cavity treatment device from the nasal cavity.
12 more elements
A method for treating tissue, the method comprising:
- advancing a nasal cavity treatment device into a nasal cavity, the nasal cavity treatment device comprising:
- a handle;
- a shaft extending from a distal end of the handle;
- a treatment element disposed on the shaft;
- and
- an array of bipolar electrode pairs disposed on the treatment element in multiple rows, the array of bipolar electrode pairs comprising multiple pairs of bipolar radiofrequency electrodes;
- and
- applying radiofrequency energy from the array of bipolar electrodes to a tissue area in the nasal cavity,
- wherein the radiofrequency energy is provided from a radiofrequency generator 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 provides 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.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.