Dilation instrument with malleable guide and dilation catheter with integral position sensor

1 . A method of using a surgical apparatus, the surgical apparatus including a malleable guide tube and a dilation catheter disposed within the malleable guide tube, the method including:

(a) bending the malleable guide tube to achieve a first exit angle;

(b) translating the dilation catheter through the malleable guide tube having the first exit angle;

(c) bending the malleable guide tube to achieve a second exit angle;

(d) translating the dilation catheter through the malleable guide tube having the second exit angle; and

(e) translating a peripheral instrument, the peripheral instrument including a suction instrument, between the malleable guide tube and the dilation catheter.

2 . The method of claim 1 , the peripheral instrument including a first peripheral instrument, the method further including positioning a second and third peripheral instrument between the malleable guide tube and the dilation catheter along with the first peripheral instrument.

3 . The method of claim 1 , the surgical apparatus further including a handle assembly having an advancement component, the method further including operating the advancement component to thereby translate the dilation catheter through the malleable guide tube.

4 . The method of claim 3 , the dilation catheter including a dilator, the advancement component including an operable range including a first position and a second position, the first position and second position being at opposite extremes of the operable range, the method including advancing the advancement component from the first position to the second position to thereby advance the dilator from being fully contained within the malleable guide tube to being fully external of the malleable guide tube regardless of the angle of the malleable guide tube.

5 . The method of claim 4 , the dilation catheter further including a position sensor distal to the dilator, the method further including fully containing the position sensor within the malleable guide tube while the advancement component is in the first position.

6 . The method of claim 5 , the method further including detecting a location of the position sensor while the malleable guide tube is at the first exit angle.

7 . The method of claim 6 , the method further including detecting a location of the position sensor while the malleable guide tube is at the second exit angle.

8 . The method of claim 1 , the method further including positioning the malleable guide tube at the first exit angle such that the dilation catheter is advanceable into a first nasal passageway of a patient.

9 . The method of claim 8 , the method further including positioning the malleable guide tube at the second exit angle such that the dilation catheter is advanceable into a second nasal passageway of the patient, the first and second nasal passageways being at differing angles from each other within the patient.

10 . A method of using a surgical apparatus, the surgical apparatus including a malleable guide tube having a longitudinal axis and a distal portion with a distal end, the surgical apparatus further including a dilation catheter positioned within an interior of the malleable guide tube, the method including:

(a) bending the distal portion of the malleable guide tube to a first exit angle;

(b) translating a portion of the dilation catheter through the interior of the malleable guide tube and beyond the distal end of the malleable guide tube to thus establish a gap between an inner surface of the malleable guide tube and an outer surface of the dilation catheter;

(c) positioning a suction instrument within the gap.

11 . The method of claim 10 , the surgical apparatus further including a handle assembly having an advancement component, the method further including operating the advancement component to thereby translate the dilation catheter through the malleable guide tube.

12 . The method of claim 11 , the dilation catheter including a dilator, the advancement component including an operable range including a first position and a second position, the first position and second position being at opposite extremes of the operable range, the method including advancing the advancement component from the first position to the second position to thereby advance the dilator from being fully contained within the malleable guide tube to being fully external of the malleable guide tube regardless of an exit angle of the malleable guide tube.

13 . The method of claim 12 , the dilation catheter further including a position sensor distal to the dilator, the method further including fully containing the position sensor within the malleable guide tube while the advancement component is in the first position.

14 . The method of claim 13 , the method further including detecting a location of the position sensor while the malleable guide tube is at the first exit angle, the first exit angle being different from the longitudinal axis.

15 . The method of claim 14 , the method further including detecting a location of the position sensor while the malleable guide tube is at a second exit angle, the second exit angle being different from the longitudinal axis.

16 . The method of claim 10 , the method further including positioning the malleable guide tube having the first exit angle such that the dilation catheter may advance into a first nasal passageway of a patient, the first exit angle being different from the longitudinal axis.

17 . The method of claim 16 , the method further including positioning the malleable guide tube having a second exit angle such that the dilation catheter may advance into a second nasal passageway of the patient, the first and second nasal passageways being at differing angles from each other within the patient.

18 . The method of claim 17 , the first and second nasal passageways being paranasal sinuses of the patient.

19 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising positioning an irrigation instrument within the gap.

20 . The method of claim 19 , further comprising positioning a suction fluid path within the gap.

21 . The method of claim 20 , further comprising position a surgical instrument within the gap.

22 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising positioning a second peripheral instrument and a third peripheral instrument between the malleable guide and the dilation catheter along with the suction instrument.

23 . A method of using a surgical apparatus, the surgical apparatus including a malleable guide, and a dilation catheter within an interior of the malleable guide, the method including:

(a) bending a distal end of the malleable guide to a first bend angle associated with access to a first passageway of a patient;

(b) advancing the dilation catheter into the first passageway of the patient via the malleable guide while the malleable guide is bent at the first bend angle;

(c) dilating the first passageway with the dilation catheter;

(d) bending the distal end of the malleable guide to a second bend angle associated with access to a second passageway of the patient;

(e) advancing the dilation catheter into the second passageway of the patient via the malleable guide while the malleable guide is bent at the second bend angle;

(f) advancing a suction instrument between the malleable guide and the dilation catheter; and

(g) dilating the second passageway with the dilation catheter.

24 . The method of claim 23 , wherein:

the step of advancing the dilation catheter into the first passageway further comprises advancing the dilation catheter through the malleable guide; and

the step of advancing the dilation catheter into the second passageway further comprises advancing the dilation catheter through the malleable guide.