78 results about "Eustachian tube" patented technology

Sinusitis, mucocysts, tumors, infections, hearing disorders, choanal atresia, fractures and other disorders of the paranasal sinuses, Eustachian tubes, Lachrymal ducts and other ear, nose, throat and mouth structures are diagnosed and/or treated using minimally invasive approaches and, in many cases, flexible catheters as opposed to instruments having rigid shafts. Various diagnostic procedures and devices are used to perform imaging studies, mucus flow studies, air/gas flow studies, anatomic dimension studies and endoscopic studies. Access and occluding devices may be used to facilitate insertion of working devices such asendoscopes, wires, probes, needles, catheters, balloon catheters, dilation catheters, dilators, balloons, tissue cutting or remodeling devices, suction or irrigation devices, imaging devices, sizing devices, biopsy devices, image-guided devices containing sensors or transmitters, electrosurgical devices, energy emitting devices, devices for injecting diagnostic or therapeutic agents, devices for implanting devices such as stents, substance eluting or delivering devices and implants, etc.

A method for dilating a Eustachian tube of a patient is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method may involve advancing a dilation device through a nasal passage of the patient to position a dilator of the device at least partially in a Eustachian tube of the patient, expanding the dilator to an expanded configuration to dilate a portion of the Eustachian tube, collapsing the dilator, and removing the dilation device from the patient. The dilated portion of the Eustachian tube remains at least partially dilated after removal of the device.

Methods and systems for accessing a Eustachian tube of a patient are disclosed. The system includes a guide configured for passing into a nasal passage of the patient to position a distal tip of the catheter at or near a Eustachian tube, the guide having a distal tip with a bend having an angle between 30 and 90 degrees; and a guidewire configured to pass through the guide into the Eustachian tube. A device for providing therapy to the Eustachian tube is passed through the guide.

Method and systems for accessing a Eustachian tube of a patient are disclosed. The system includes a guide configured for passing into a nasal passage of the patient to position a distal tip of the catheter at or near a Eustachian tube, the guide having distal tip with a bend having an angle between 30 and 90 degrees; and a guidewire configured to pass through the guide into the Eustachian tube.

Dilators are provided for insertion into, and dilation of, a Eustachian tube of an animal, e.g., a human being. The dilators may be placed in the Eustachian tube via the oral or nasal passageway, and the nasopharynx. The dilators are configured to be self-expanding and include a driver configured to expand an expandable portion from a non-expanded configuration to an expanded configuration. Also provided are kits that include the dilator, an insertion device for inserting the dilator, and methods for inserting the dilator into a Eustachian tube.

Methods and devices for providing a gas pathway between the nasopharynx and the Eustachian tube are provided. One device may include a lumen with a valve. A portion of the valve may be tethered to adjacent muscle. Another portion of the valve may be tethered to adjacent cartilage. When the muscle contracts the valve may open through movement of the tethers, and provide a gas pathway between the nasopharynx and the Eustachian tube.

A device for obtaining an equalization of a negative pressure in the middle ear is disclosed. The device comprises a facemask, an air pump and an air reservoir, all of them connected to a connecting tube. An increased air pressure is created by expiration into the facemask and/or by activating the air pump. A sufficient rise in air pressure in the device makes the air reservoir to expand, and this creates an increased pressure in the mouth/nose cavity and opens the Eustachian tube and forces air into the middle ear for equalization of the negative pressure in the middle ear.

The invention discloses a side sound enhancement method, a device, an ear-in earphone and a computer-readable storage medium of an ear-in earphone, which relate to the technical field of portable listening equipment, and are used for solving the problems of low signal-to-noise ratio of side sound signals of the prior art and affecting the call quality. The method comprises the following steps of:acquiring an original speech signal by using a microphone arranged at the ear-in end of the first earphone; obtaining a lateral sound signal according to the user's voice signal transmitted through the eustachian tube in the original voice signal; transmitting a sidebar signal to a speaker of the first headset and/or the second headset to play the sidebar signal. The present invention utilizes a microphone provided at the ear-in end of a first earphone, the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the side tone signal is improved, so that the enhanced side tone can improve the authenticity of the call and avoid the influence on the call quality, and the user experience is improved.

The invention discloses an ear-carried type hearing aid (6) for receiving sound in ears, comprising loudspeakers (5). Air conduits (1) are connected to the loudspeakers (5) through flexible tubes (2) and are arranged nearby Eustachian tubes of middle ears. The hearing aid solves the problem of signal attenuation when signals are transmitted to eardrums, changes the traditional mode of improving the received sounds of users by improving the qualities of signals into the mode of adding the air conduits (1) by changing a structure under the premise of ensuring the wearing comfortableness of the users to directly transmit the sound signals to the eardrums from external auditory canals, thereby the users can obtain higher power effect, the power of the ear-carried type hearing aid for receiving sound in ears is improved by above 20%.

Apparatus for automatically applying a pneumatic overpressure phase, of a value of between 5 and 100 hPa in the Eustachian tube and/or in the nasal fossae of a patient through at least one nostril at the moment of swallowing, includes a gas generator, a gas reservoir, a detection-fluid and control circuit communicating with the gas reservoir and gas generator and leading to a sealed plug in the nostrils forming part of a nosepiece equipped with a control nozzle, a device for measuring at least one characteristic value of a flow of gas during swallowing, a device for automatically comparing the characteristic value with at least one pre-set value, and a device for informing the patient whether the swallowing action is being correctly performed.

The present invention relates generally to a methods of treating ear infections and clearing excess fluid from Eustachian tubes.