Methods and apparatus for treating disorders of the ear nose and throat

A device for accessing an ostium of a paranasal sinus of a human or animal subject, the device comprising:

• a handle;
• an elongate shaft having a proximal end coupled with the handle and extending to a distal end, and a longitudinal lumen extending at least partway from the proximal end to the distal end;
• a device advancing member coupled with at least one of the handle or the elongate shaft and configured to couple with and advance at least one device through the lumen of the shaft and at least partway into an ostium of a paranasal sinus;
• wherein the device advancing member comprises:
• two rollers configured to hold and advance the device;
• and
• an actuator coupled with the two rollers to move the rollers.

A system for dilating an anatomical structure within the ear, nose or throat of a human or animal subject, the system comprising:

• an endoscope;
• an elongate tubular guide removably coupled with the endoscope;
• a handle coupled with at least one of the endoscope or the elongate tubular guide for grasping the endoscope, coupled with the elongate tubular guide, in one hand;
• and
• a dilator slidably disposed in the elongate tubular guide, wherein the dilator has a non-expanded configuration for passing through the elongate tubular guide and an expanded configuration for dilating the anatomical structure;
• wherein the endoscope comprises a rigid, swing prism endoscope.

A method for dilating an opening in a paranasal sinus of a human or animal subject, the method comprising:

• holding an elongate, tubular, at least partially rigid guide in one hand using a handle, wherein a balloon dilation catheter resides within a lumen of the guide and extends through the handle;
• advancing a distal end of the guide to a position near an opening in a paranasal sinus of a human or animal subject, wherein the balloon catheter resides within the lumen of the guide during advancement;
• advancing the balloon dilation catheter through the guide to position a balloon of the balloon dilation catheter in the paranasal sinus opening;
• and
• expanding the balloon to dilate the opening;
• wherein advancing the balloon dilation catheter comprises advancing the balloon dilation catheter into an ostium of the paranasal sinus selected from the group consisting of a maxillary sinus, a sphenoid sinus, a frontal sinus and an ethmoid sinus.

A method for dilating an ostium of a paranasal sinus of a human or animal subject, the method comprising:

• holding an elongate, tubular, at least partially rigid guide and a balloon catheter disposed at least partially within the guide in one hand using a handle;
• advancing a distal end of the guide to a position near an opening in a paranasal sinus of a human or animal subject, wherein the balloon catheter resides within the lumen of the guide during advancement;
• advancing an advancement member coupled with the handle and the balloon dilation catheter to advance the balloon catheter through the distal end of the guide to position a balloon of the balloon dilation catheter in the opening;
• and
• expanding the balloon to dilate the opening;
• wherein the guide is advanced through an opening in a canine fossa of the subject's head into a maxillary sinus, the method further comprising forming the canine fossa opening using a piercing tool.