Nasal Treatment System with Real-Time Tissue Characterization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current surgical procedures for treating nasal conditions like rhinitis face challenges in precision targeting, leading to collateral damage and the risk of transmitting airborne pathogens, particularly due to imprecise energy application and aerosolization of tissue, which can spread infectious agents such as SARS-CoV-2.
Innovation Solution
A system that characterizes tissue types before treatment using sensors to determine specific energy delivery patterns, minimizing collateral damage and aerosolization by precisely controlling energy levels and duration based on real-time feedback, ensuring effective ablation or modulation of targeted tissue while avoiding non-targeted tissues.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If thermal energy is delivered to inflamed soft tissue to treat rhinitis, then nasal airflow is improved, but collateral damage to surrounding tissue occurs and aerosolization of tissue may spread pathogens
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different energy levels and treatment parameters to different tissue types by first characterizing the tissue (neural vs. soft tissue) and then delivering appropriately tailored energy levels. This local differentiation allows effective treatment of the target tissue while minimizing damage to surrounding areas through precise parameter matching to tissue characteristics.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts treatment parameters (energy level, pulse duration, frequency) based on real-time tissue characterization feedback. By changing parameters according to the identified tissue type, the system achieves effective treatment while avoiding the fixed-parameter approach that causes collateral damage.
2Reliability
If higher energy levels are used to treat nasal tissue, then treatment effectiveness increases, but the risk of vaporization and aerosolization of tissue increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary tissue characterization before delivering therapeutic energy. By identifying the tissue type (neural vs. soft tissue) in advance, the system can pre-determine the appropriate energy level that will achieve effective treatment without exceeding the threshold that causes vaporization and aerosolization.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses real-time feedback from tissue characterization sensors to adjust energy delivery parameters. This closed-loop feedback mechanism ensures that energy levels remain within safe thresholds while maintaining treatment effectiveness, preventing the harmful vaporization and aerosolization effects.
3Productivity
If imprecise energy application is used in nasal procedures, then treatment speed increases, but the risk of transmitting airborne pathogens increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs rapid tissue characterization before treatment to identify the tissue type and determine appropriate energy parameters in advance. This preliminary action enables precise energy application from the start, preventing the need for adjustments during treatment that could cause aerosolization and pathogen transmission.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces imprecise mechanical energy delivery with a sensor-guided, feedback-controlled energy delivery system. This substitution of precision control mechanisms ensures accurate energy application that achieves treatment goals without causing the tissue vaporization that leads to pathogen transmission.
4Productivity
If thermal ablation is used to reduce tissue volume, then nasal airflow improves, but bleeding and scarring occur
Solution Approach 1:
The system differentiates between neural tissue and soft tissue and applies locally appropriate treatment parameters. By targeting neural tissue with specific parameter sets that avoid excessive thermal damage, the system achieves treatment effectiveness while minimizing the collateral damage (bleeding and scarring) associated with aggressive thermal ablation of soft tissue.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach reduces the risk of disseminating infectious agents and minimizes collateral damage, achieving precise treatment of nasal conditions while preventing the aerosolization of both targeted and non-targeted tissues, thereby enhancing safety and efficacy.
Implementation Method 1
delivering energy at a level, and for a period of time, sufficient to ablate and/or modulate targeted tissue
Implementation Method 2
minimizing or avoiding vaporization and/or aerosolization of both targeted and non-targeted tissue
Implementation Method 3
minimizing or avoiding vaporization and/or aerosolization of both targeted and non-targeted tissue
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention generally relates to systems and methods for providing precision targeting of tissue in a nasal region of a patient for the treatment of a nasal condition while minimizing or avoiding vaporization and/or aerosolization of both targeted and non-targeted tissue to thereby reduce risk of transmitting airborne viral loads.