2281 results about "Throat" patented technology

Sinusitis and other disorders of the ear, nose and throat are diagnosed and/or treated using minimally invasive approaches with flexible or rigid instruments. Various methods and devices are used for remodeling or changing the shape, size or configuration of a sinus ostium or duct or other anatomical structure in the ear, nose or throat; implanting a device, cells or tissues; removing matter from the ear, nose or throat; delivering diagnostic or therapeutic substances or performing other diagnostic or therapeutic procedures. Introducing devices (e.g., guide catheters, tubes, guidewires, elongate probes, other elongate members) may be used to facilitate insertion of working devices (e.g. catheters e.g. balloon catheters, guidewires, tissue cutting or remodeling devices, devices for implanting elements like stents, electrosurgical devices, energy emitting devices, devices for delivering diagnostic or therapeutic agents, substance delivery implants, scopes etc.) into the paranasal sinuses or other structures in the ear, nose or throat.

Devices, systems and methods for performing image guided interventional and surgical procedures, including various procedures to treat sinusitis and other disorders of the paranasal sinuses, ears, nose or throat.

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.

Sinusitis and other disorders of the ear, nose and throat are diagnosed and/or treated using minimally invasive approaches with flexible or rigid instruments. Various methods and devices are used for remodeling or changing the shape, size or configuration of a sinus ostium or duct or other anatomical structure in the ear, nose or throat; implanting a device, cells or tissues; removing matter from the ear, nose or throat; delivering diagnostic or therapeutic substances or performing other diagnostic or therapeutic procedures. Introducing devices (e.g., guide catheters, tubes, guidewires, elongate probes, other elongate members) may be used to facilitate insertion of working devices (e.g. catheters e.g. balloon catheters, guidewires, tissue cutting or remodeling devices, devices for implanting elements like stents, electrosurgical devices, energy emitting devices, devices for delivering diagnostic or therapeutic agents, substance delivery implants, scopes etc.) into the paranasal sinuses or other structures in the ear, nose or throat. Specific devices (e.g., tubular guides, guidewires, balloon catheters, tubular sheaths) are provided as are methods for manufacturing and using such devices to treat disorders of the ear, nose or throat.

The present invention provides systems and methods for selectively applying electrical energy to a target location within the head and neck of a patient's body, particularly including tissue in the ear, nose and throat. The present invention applies high frequency (RF) electrical energy to one or more electrode terminals in the presence of electrically conductive fluid to remove and/or modify the structure of tissue structures. The present invention is particularly useful for treating sleep obstructive disorders, such as sleep apnea and snoring.

Devices, systems and methods useable for dilating the ostia of paranasal sinuses and/or other passageways within the ear, nose or throat. A dilation catheter device and system is constructed in a manner that facilitates ease of use by the operator and, in at least some cases, allows the dilation procedure to be performed by a single operator. Additionally, the dilation catheter device and system may be useable in conjunction with an endoscope and/or a fluoroscope to provide for easy manipulation and positioning of the devices and real time visualization of the entire procedure or selected portions thereof. In some embodiments, an optional handle may be used to facilitate grasping or supporting a device of the present invention as well as another device (e.g., an endoscope) with a single hand.

Medical devices, systems and methods that are useable to facilitate transnasal insertion and positioning of guidewires and various other devices and instruments at desired locations within the ear, nose, throat, paranasal sinuses or cranium. Direct viewing of such placements via an endoscope.

A method and system for providing a recording head is disclosed. The method and system include providing a first pole, a second pole, a write gap and at least one coil. The write cap separates the first pole from the second pole. The coil(s) include a plurality of turns and is between the first and second poles. The first pole includes a pedestal that has a first portion and a second portion. The first portion includes a high moment electroplated material. The second portion includes a hot seed layer that has a high moment sputtered material. The second portion of the first pole is adjacent to the write gap.

A laryngeal airway device includes an air tube with proximal and distal ends, and a sealing member attached to the distal end of the air tube. The sealing member includes an anterior surface adapted to seat in the throat, against the hyoid bone, and to stretch the laryngeal inlet. A hole extends through the anterior surface and the sealing member and communicates through an air passage with the distal end of the air tube. When the sealing member is seated in the throat, the hole is contained within the rim of the stretched laryngeal inlet, with which the anterior surface forms a seal that surrounds the hole. Airway patency is thereby ensured.

Medical devices, systems and methods that are useable to facilitate transnasal insertion and positioning of guidewires and various other devices and instruments at desired locations within the ear, nose, throat, paranasal sinuses or cranium. Direct viewing of such placements via an endoscope.

A method and system for providing a pedestal defined zero throat write head is disclosed. The method and system include providing a first pole having a pedestal, providing a gap and providing a second pole. The first pole has a pedestal. The gap separates the pedestal of the first pole from a portion of the second pole. The pedestal has a front, a back, a top and a bottom. The back of the pedestal has a recess therein, which runs from the top of the pedestal to the bottom of the pedestal.

A device and method for the treatment of sleep apnea and/or snoring in a human patient includes at least one electrode stimulator for providing direct electrical stimulation to a throat and/or laryngeal muscles of the patient. The stimulator is constructed and arranged to be positioned at the throat and/or laryngeal muscles of the patient, either on the surface or subcutaneously. A power source provides a continuous electrical signal to the stimulator so that the throat and/or laryngeal muscles of the patient are contracted to open the airway of the patient. The power source can be a portable source remote from the electrode or a pacemaker unit also implanted in the patient.

When there is an obstruction to the passage of air through the back of the mouth and nose, the soft palate and the bell collide, producing a vibration called snoring. There are various ways of reducing or eliminating snoring, nasal masks introducing air pressure to the throat (CPAP), surgery of the throat (OPPBA) and devices that are introduced into the mouth to cause a mandibular advancement what increases the oropharyngeal area, improving ventilation, among other solutions. The present invention disclosure an intraocclusal removable device in the form of a “U” that is placed covering all of the upper jaw teeth, wherein two steps, one in each extreme of the lower part of the element, which impede the mandible be closed completely on its normal occlusion, forcing it to produce a forward displacement of the lower jaw.

Disclosed are personal care compositions for use on hair, skin, oral cavity, throat and other mucosal surfaces containing a flavor/perfume system comprising one or more coolants, wherein the pleasant cool and refreshing sensation provided by the coolant is enhanced in terms of quicker onset, greater intensity or impact and/or longer duration, thereby improving appeal and acceptability of the compositions to consumers. In one embodiment the invention provides oral care compositions comprising

• • (a) a flavor composition comprising one or more non-menthol coolants and optionally one or more additional flavor ingredients,
  • (b) a calcium ion source and/or a calcium transport agent sufficient to potentiate and/or modulate the cooling and refreshing sensation provided by the coolant(s), and
  • (c) an orally-acceptable carrier.

Upon application to the oral cavity, the compositions provide an immediate onset of cooling sensation which lasts longer than about 15 minutes thereby providing long-lasting clean and fresh mouth impression and encouraging user compliance and repeated use of the compositions.

A method for cerebral and systemic cooling by providing a nebulized liquid having a boiling point of 38-300° C. The nebulized liquid is delivered as a mist or a spray via the nasal and/or oral cavities of a patient. The mist causes cooling by direct heat transfer through the nasopharynx and hematogenous cooling through the carotids and the Circle of Willis. Compositions and medical devices for cerebral and systemic cooling are also provided. Cooling assemblies, and methods of use, are also provided that include flexible balloon assemblies that are inserted to various locations in a patient's body. The flexible balloons are then infused with a liquid having a temperature between about −20° C. and about 37° C. The flexible balloon assemblies can be inserted into the nasal cavity, oral cavity, throat, stomach, and other locations to effect cerebral cooling.

A dental orthotic comprises a mandibular orthotic conforming to a user's mandibular dentition and including oral contours adapted for adjusting the user's tongue/tooth/mouth interaction, and may include extensions for positioning the user's tongue. The contours are designed and applied to specific locations on the orthotic and extensions of the orthotic to promote a desired tongue response for specific physiological symptoms. The contours change the shape of the mandibular orthotic as well as the dental shapes within the mouth, resulting in repositioning and/or reshaping of the tongue and tissue of the throat, thereby improving the oral functions as well as relieving neuromuscular responses and autonomic nervous system dysfunctions. The dental orthotic may include a maxillary orthotic that is fixed with respect to the mandibular orthotic.

A therapeutic method in which plural points on the body are stimulated by light of different wavelengths emitted from wands, probes or other applicators under the control of a central microprocessor. The microprocessor executes program instructions to produce light at each applicator whose intensity, frequency, duration and pulsation accord with protocols which are automatically selected depending on the portion of the body being treated. The protocols can be manually overridden by the therapist, in which case the changed parameters are stored in memory. The apparatus is particularly useful in performing traditional therapeutic methods to treat internal disorders, substance abuse, pediatric and podiatric problems and disorders of the ear, nose, throat, as well as musculoskeletal, neurological or dermatological disorders.

All-internal compression inlets for supersonic aircraft, with variable geometry systems and shock stability bleed systems provide high performance, large operability margins, i.e. terminal shock stability that reduces the probability of inlet unstart, and contribute little or nothing to the overall sonic boom signature of the aircraft. These inlets have very high internal area contraction or compression and very low external surface angles. All shocks from the internal inlet surfaces are captured and reflected inside the inlet duct, and all of the external nacelle surfaces are substantially aligned with the external airflow. The inlet shock stability system consists of bleed regions that duct bleed airflows to variable area exits with passive or active exit area controls. This reduces the risk of inlet unstarts by removing airflow through a large open throat bleed region to compensate for reductions in diffuser (engine) corrected airflow demand. Because the stability bleed is not removed until the inlet terminal shock moves upstream over the bleed region, the necessary normal shock operability margin is provided without compromising inlet performance (total pressure recovery, and distortion).

The invention discloses a high-resolution digital rock core modeling method. The high-resolution digital rock core modeling method comprises the following steps: firstly, scanning a rock core by X-ray CT (computed tomography); then acquiring the rock throat radius distribution from rock core mercury data, acquiring the rock core porosity radius distribution from rock core nuclear magnetism data, intercepting the part the pore throat radius of which is less than the CT scanning resolution as an input parameter of a random network method, wherein the selected intercepted value is relevant to the CT scanning resolution; comparing the digital rock core porosity obtained by CT scanning with the experiment measurement porosity, calculating the size of the lost porosity of the digital rock core by CT scanning, and constructing a porosity network model by utilizing the intercepted pore throat radius distribution by adopting the random network method, wherein the porosity of the generated network model is consistent with the porosity lost in CT scanning; and converting the porosity network model into the micro porosity digital rock core by applying gridding method, and overlapping the digital rock core constructed by a mercury injection nuclear magnetism method to the digital rock core scanned by CT by adopting a multi-scale integration method. The method breaks through the restriction of CT scanning resolution.

An apparatus and method are described that uses fractional light based treatment to shrink soft tissue in the mouth or throat to reduce obstruction of the airways for patients suffering from obstructive sleep apnea. A light delivery probe with scanning optics can be used to deliver treatment. Cooling systems can be added to reduce damage to epithelial layers of tissue. Light based treatment can be nonablative or ablative and is preferably performed with a laser.

Methods for pharyngeal and cerebral cooling by delivering an ice slurry, slush or super-cooled gel to a patient's nasal cavity, oral cavity and/or throat are described. In one method, a cooling assembly is inserted into a nasal cavity through a patient's nostril. The cooling assembly includes a flexible balloon defining a chamber and a first elongate tubular member having a lumen in fluid communication with the chamber. A ice slurry having a temperature between about −5° C. and about 5° C. is delivered through the lumen of the first elongate tubular member into the chamber, wherein the flexible balloon expands to place it in contact with the nasal cavity. In another method, an expandable member is inserted through the patient's oral cavity and positioned such that when expanded it forms a low pressure seal substantially isolating the nasal and oral cavities from the patient's trachea. An ice slurry is delivered directly to the patient's nasal cavity.

The present invention is directed to a mucoadhesive delivery system for the local or systemic administration of a pharmaceutical agent. The delivery system of the invention effectively and facilely enables transport of the pharmaceutical agent through mucosal membranes and into the vasculattire of the mucosa. The delivery system includes an at least partially water soluble bioadhesive layer and an at least partially water soluble backing layer. Incorporated within either or both of these layers are the pharmaceutical agent and a mucosal penetration enhancing agent. The mucosal penetration enhancing agent displays localized tissue irritation properties. The mucoadhesive delivery system may be in the form of a gel, film, disc or patch. It may be applied to any mucosal membrane of a patient including but not limited to those of the buccal and nasal cavities, throat, eye, vagina, alimentary tract and peritoneum.

This invention further relates to a method for preventing or treating diseases or conditions of the oral cavity, throat or nose of warm-blooded animals including humans. More particularly, the invention pertains to a composition and method for spraying essential oils to the oral cavity, throat or nasal mucosa as cyclodextrin inclusion complexes. The spray composition includes a cyclodextrin in an amount of from about 0.1% w/v to about 20% w/v; at least one essential oil in an amount of from about 0.001% w/v to about 5.0% w/v; an effective amount of an antimicrobial preservative composition; and water. The composition may further comprise an alcohol co-solvent, a thickening agent, a sweetener, an antitussive, an anticholinergic, a decongestant, an antihistamine, an astringent, an anti-inflammatory steroid composition, a vitamin, a respiratory stimulant, a mucolytic agent, a bronchodilator, a beta-antagonist, an antidiarrheal agent, or combinations thereof.

A food jar has an insulated body with a wide-mouth opening for receiving food. A collar is affixed to the opening of the food jar by affixing a throat member to the collar and threading the throat into the wide-mouth body. The throat member includes a gasket at the lower end to seal the throat to the body. A lid is affixed to the collar by a hinge. The lid includes a central projection that extends into sealing contact with the gasket on the throat member to seal the lid to the throat member. A button is mounted in a channel in the lid and biased by a spring to move into an engaging position to engage the collar at an opening in the collar to secure the lid to the collar. A wire loop is provided to engage the button in an embodiment.

Improved medical suturing devices, systems, and methods may hold a suture needle at a fixed location relative to a handle of the device, allowing a surgeon to grasp and manipulate the handle of the suturing device to insert the needle through tissues. The exemplary device includes two needle grasping clamps extending from an elongate distal portion for endoscopic surgeries, including ear, nose and throat procedures. The two clamps alternate holding the suture needle, as the surgeon sutures the tissues, each clamp having a proximal and distal gripping jaw for grasping the needle. Preferably, the gripping surfaces of the proximal and distal gripping jaws are substantially parallel to the needle's plane of curvature and exert a holding force on the needle substantially along an axis of the device.

The invention discloses a refractory spray coating with high steel fiber content and a spraying method thereof, which belong to the technical field of refractory materials. The method comprises the following step of: 1, pneumatically conveying the refractory spray coating to a nozzle, adding water onto the nozzle, and spraying and bonding the coating on a wall; or 2, adding water or a liquid bonding agent into the refractory spray coating, stirring the mixture into mortar, conveying the mortar to the nozzle by a pumping method, spraying the mortar out of the nozzle by using high-pressure air,and bonding the mortar on the wall. The refractory spray coating comprises the following ingredients in part by weight: 30 to 80 parts of refractory aggregate, 30 to 50 parts of refractory powder, 5 to 20 parts of bonding agent, 0.5 to 15 parts of additive and 3 to 80 parts of steel fiber. The invention has the advantages that: by spraying the refractory spray coating on a blast furnace cooling wall, spraying on a blast furnace throat steel brick, spraying on various refractory linings with cold faces and hot faces and repairing, the service life of the refractory material for the inner wall of a blast furnace can be greatly prolonged, and the effects of protecting the environment, saving energy and reducing consumption are achieved.

The present invention combines a conventional audio microphone with an additional speech sensor that provides a speech sensor signal based on an input. The speech sensor signal is generated based on an action undertaken by a speaker during speech, such as facial movement, bone vibration, throat vibration, throat impedance changes, etc. A speech detector component receives an input from the speech sensor and outputs a speech detection signal indicative of whether a user is speaking. The speech detector generates the speech detection signal based on the microphone signal and the speech sensor signal.

The invention discloses a method for evaluating a water-containing characteristic and an occurrence state of compact sandstone storage layer apertures, comprising: converting a nuclear magnetic T2 spectrum into a false capillary pressure curve by a rock core intrusive mercury experiment and a nuclear magnetic resonance experiment; obtaining a permeability accumulation contribution value by a rock core intrusive mercury experiment, and establishing a storage layer aperture throat space validity division standard based on the permeability accumulation contribution value; and based on the aperture throat space validity division standard, and calculating a clay bound water volume, an immovable capillary bound water volume and a movable fluid volume by the false capillary pressure curve, to implement evaluation of the water-containing characteristic and the occurrence state of the compact sandstone storage layer apertures.

A method is disclosed for treating benign conditions, such as enlarged tonsils and/or adenoids located in a patient's throat or nasopharynx, or soft tissue lesions located in a patient's oropharynx or larynx. According to the method, a space containing the patient's nasopharynx, oropharynx or pharynx and larynx is isolated from the patient's trachea and lungs using an inflatable cuff tracheostomy tube or nasotracheal tube inserted in the patient's trachea. The cuff is inflated to occlude the trachea. The patient is placed in a supine position, whereupon at least a portion of the space containing the nasopharynx and/or oropharynx and larynx is filled with saline. An endoscope is then inserted into the space to view the operative site in which the tonsils or tissue lesion are to be treated. An electrosurgical instrument having an active tissue treatment electrode and a return electrode connected to an electrosurgical generator is then inserted into the space, either along side the endoscope or through the endoscope's working channel. The generator is then operated to apply a radio frequency voltage between the active and return electrodes of the electrosurgical instrument, whereby a conduction path is formed between the active and return electrodes, at least partially through the saline, whereupon the active electrode is manipulated to debulk or otherwise treat the soft tissue lesion or enlarged tonsils and/or adenoids.

A tongue depressor and throat viewing mechanism adapted to facilitate inspection of the larynx and a medical diagnosis of its condition, the mechanism includes a blade insertable into the mouth to depress the tongue so as to expose the larynx. A camera and a light illuminating unit are located in the front end of the blade. The camera is configured to send image signals to a transmitter which is located in the rear end of the blade. The transmitter sends the images to a display for viewing.