Systems and Methods for Treating the Nasal Cavity

An apparatus for delivering an anesthetic agent to a target tissue in a nasal cavity of a patient, the apparatus comprising:

• an elongated shaft with a proximal end and a distal end;
• an absorbent plug coupled to the distal end of the elongated shaft, wherein the absorbent plug is configured to store the anesthetic agent and deliver the anesthetic agent to the target tissue in the nasal cavity by contacting the target tissue;
• and
• a lumen extending through the elongated shaft and into the absorbent plug, wherein the lumen comprises a one or more ports within the absorbent plug configured to deliver the anesthetic agent into the absorbent plug to be absorbed by the absorbent plug.

An apparatus for delivering an anesthetic agent to a target tissue in a nasal cavity of a patient, the apparatus comprising:

• an elongated shaft with a proximal end and a distal end;
• a balloon coupled to the distal end of the elongated shaft;
• and
• an absorbent sheath covering the balloon, wherein the absorbent sheath is configured to store an anesthetic agent and deliver the anesthetic agent to the target tissue in the nasal cavity by the target tissue contacted by the absorbent sheath,
• wherein the absorbent sheath is configured to be inserted into the nasal cavity proximate to the target tissue with the balloon in a deflated state, and
• wherein the balloon is configured to expand from the deflated state to an inflated state to cause the absorbent sheath to expand and contact the target tissue in the nasal cavity so as to deliver the anesthetic agent to the target tissue contacted by the absorbent sheath.

An apparatus for delivering an anesthetic agent to a target tissue in a nasal cavity of a patient, the apparatus comprising:

• an elongated shaft with a proximal end and a distal end;
• an expandable member coupled to the distal end of the elongated shaft, wherein the expandable member comprises an absorbent outer layer, wherein the absorbent outer layer is configured to store an anesthetic agent and deliver the anesthetic agent to the target tissue in the nasal cavity by contacting the target tissue;
• and
• a malleable spine within the expandable member configured to be formable to a plurality of shapes in order to match an anatomy of the nasal cavity,
• wherein the expandable member is configured to be inserted into the nasal cavity proximate to the target tissue in a deflated stated and then expanded to an inflated state so that the absorbent outer layer contacts the target tissue in the nasal cavity so as to deliver the anesthetic agent to the target tissue contacted by the absorbent outer layer.

An apparatus for delivering a liquid anesthetic agent to a target tissue in a nasal cavity of a patient, the apparatus comprising:

• an elongated shaft with a proximal end and a distal end;
• an air intake port disposed at the proximal end of the elongated shaft configured to receive compressed air to drive the liquid anesthetic agent towards the distal end of the elongated shaft;
• a loading port disposed at the proximal end of the elongated shaft configured to receive the liquid anesthetic agent;
• and
• one or more dispensing ports disposed at the distal end of the elongated shaft and configured to dispense the liquid anesthetic agent onto the target tissue in the nasal cavity.

A method for delivering an anesthetic agent to a target tissue in a nasal cavity of a patient, the method comprising:

• inserting an apparatus including an absorbent plug into the nasal cavity;
• positioning the absorbent plug adjacent to the target tissue in the nasal cavity;
• and
• deploying the anesthetic agent via the absorbent plug to the target tissue.