Method for facilitating intranasal guidance

A method for visualization and/or administration of medication of and into the sphenopalatine/pterygopalatine recess of a patient comprising:

• inserting a guidewire into a nostril of a patient to a target area proximate the sphenopalatine/pterygopalatine recess of the patient;
• providing a sphenocath including a sheath assembly having a sheath hub with a sheath tube extending therefrom with a passage extending from a proximal end of the sheath hub to a distal end of the sheath tube, said sheath hub including a guide slot extending along a top surface thereof, said guide slot including an indicator member covering a portion of said guide slot;
• a catheter assembly including a catheter hub with a catheter tube extending therefrom, a distal end of said catheter tube having a preformed curvature, the catheter tube having a passage extending from a proximal end of the catheter hub to a distal end of the catheter tube, said catheter hub including a radially extending projection thereon, wherein the indicator member indicates the orientation of the distal end of the catheter tube and wherein the catheter assembly is configured to pass through the sheath assembly such that the radially extending projection on the catheter hub engages the guide slot to limit relative rotation between the hubs over a limited rotational range, wherein the limited rotational range extends approximately 10 degrees in each rotational direction such that the preformed curvature is always away from the indicator member and the catheter tube distal end cannot be modified relative to the sheath hub beyond the limited range while permitting relative axial movement such that in an initial non-extended position the distal end of the catheter tube is proximate to the distal end of the sheath tube, wherein said guide slot has a width larger than a width of the projection such that the catheter hub is configured to rotate relative to the sheath hub over the limited rotational range;
• advancing the sphenocath over the guidewire and rotating the catheter hub relative to the sheath hub to conform to an anatomy of the patient's sphenopalatine/pterygopalatine recess, such that the distal end of the catheter tube is proximal to the target area;
• advancing the catheter assembly relative to the sheath assembly whereby the catheter tube distal end extends from the sheath tube distal end and bends along the guidewire;
• visually confirming a direction of the preformed curvature and aligning the preformed curvature of the catheter tube distal end with the patient's sphenopalatine/pterygopalatine recess
• removing the guidewire;
• and
• dispensing contrast media, fluids, and/or medication to the patient's sphenopalatine/pterygopalatine ganglion disposed within the sphenopalatine recess of the patient.