Balloon catheters and methods for treating paranasal sinuses

Abstract

A set of sinus balloon catheters are provided for treating a patient's paranasal sinus system, including dilating prepared openings, and natural ostia and ducts and excising sinus cavities. These include a balloon catheter with a bend placing a distal segment at 90.degree. to a proximal segment and a balloon catheter which is substantially straight. The catheters have sufficient stiffness and column strength that the balloon carrying distal segment of the catheter can be pushed into the prepared opening, natural ostium or duct, or sinus to be excised. The catheters have appropriate inflated working diameters and appropriate outer diameters with the balloon deflated that will enable the catheter to be pushed into the respective prepared opening, natural ostium or duct, or sinus cavity to be excised. The methods use the balloon catheters to dilate prepared openings to selected parts of the sinus system, to dilate natural ostia and ducts of the sinus system, and/or to dilate sinus cavities to remove them.

Description

[0001] This is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 259,300, filed Sep. 30, 2002.FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] This invention relates to balloon catheters and methods using such catheters for treating paranasal sinuses. BACKGROUND [0003] To fully understand the invention, it is necessary to consider the anatomy and physiology of the sinus system. FIGS. 4-16, which show various steps of methods of the invention, also show important features of sinus anatomy. The maxillary sinus 21 lies lateral to the nasal cavity 38, inferior to the eye orbit 23 and superior to the palate or roof of the mouth. The medial wall of the maxillary sinus forms the lateral nasal wall 44 inferiorly. The frontal sinus 35 (FIG. 16) lies above the orbit and its floor is formed by the frontal bone and is contiguous with part of the orbital roof. The right and left frontal sinuses are divided by the interfrontal septum. The frontal sinus drains into the nasal cavity and its outflow tract is in the ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0021] Another method of the invention removes a sinus and cures sinus disease without damage to the surrounding structures such as the optic nerve, extraocular muscles, orbit, brain, meninges, and nasolacrimal duct. The methods of the invention are useful for opening a sinu

Problems solved by technology

An obstruction of the narrow ducts and ostia between the paranasal sinuses and nasal cavity develops, resulting in a vicious cycle of increased secretions, edema, and ultimately organized connective tissue and mucosal hyperplasia.

However some patients become resistant to medical treatment and surgery becomes necessary.

However, endoscopic sinus surgery requires the excision of large areas of bone and nasal mucosa and has reported complications of blindness from damage to the optic nerve, dou

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