Methods and devices to treat nasal airways
Methods and devices for treating nasal airways are provided. Such devices and methods may improve airflow through an internal and/or external nasal valve, and comprise the use of mechanical re-shaping, energy application and other treatments to modify the shape, structure, and/or air flow characteristics of an internal nasal valve, an external nasal valve or other nasal airways.
1 . A device for treating a targeted nasal tissue from within a nasal cavity, the device comprising:
a handle;
a shaft extending from the handle;
an expandable treatment element disposed on the shaft, comprising multiple shape memory material segments; and
multiple rows of multiple pairs of bipolar radio frequency electrodes disposed on the expandable treatment element;
wherein the expandable treatment element is configured to contact mucosal tissue lining the nasal cavity and transmit radiofrequency energy from the multiple pairs of bipolar radiofrequency electrodes, such that the radiofrequency energy passes through the mucosal tissue to treat the targeted nasal tissue at a selected tissue depth below the mucosal tissue, and
wherein the expandable treatment element is configured to expand to a size and a shape to position the multiple pairs of bipolar radiofrequency electrodes in contact with the mucosal tissue.
2 . The device of claim 1 , further comprising a controller configured to provide the radiofrequency energy individually to any one or more of the multiple pairs of bipolar radiofrequency electrodes.
3 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the multiple shape memory material segments comprise at least one shape memory material selected from the group consisting of nickel-cobalt, nickel-titanium, shape memory polymers, biodegradable polymers, and other shape memory metals.
4 . The device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a generator configured to communicate the radiofrequency energy to the multiple pairs of radiofrequency electrodes of the expandable treatment element, such that the radiofrequency energy passes through the targeted nasal tissue at the selected tissue depth.
5 . The device of claim 1 , wherein each of the multiple rows comprises at least four electrodes.
6 . The device of claim 1 , wherein each of the multiple rows comprises at least three electrodes.
7 . The device of claim 1 , further comprising a generator configured to provide radiofrequency energy to the multiple pairs of bipolar radiofrequency electrode.
8 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the multiple pairs of bipolar radiofrequency electrodes comprise a first subset of pairs of bipolar radiofrequency electrodes and a second subset of pairs of bipolar radiofrequency electrodes.
9 . The device of claim 8 , wherein a first level of radiofrequency energy is provided to the first subset of pairs of bipolar radiofrequency electrodes and a second level of radiofrequency energy is provided to the second subset of pairs of bipolar radiofrequency electrodes, and wherein the first level of radiofrequency energy is provided to the first subset of pairs of bipolar radiofrequency electrode irrespective of whether the second level of radiofrequency energy is concurrently provided to the second subset of pairs of bipolar radiofrequency electrode.
10 . A device for treating a targeted nasal tissue from within a nasal cavity, the device comprising:
a handle;
a shaft extending from the handle;
a plurality of expandable treatment elements disposed on the shaft, comprising multiple shape memory material segments; and
multiple rows of multiple pairs of bipolar radiofrequency electrodes disposed on each expandable treatment element of the plurality of expandable treatment elements;
wherein the plurality of expandable treatment elements is configured to contact mucosal tissue lining the nasal cavity and transmit radiofrequency energy from the multiple pairs of radiofrequency electrodes, such that the radiofrequency energy passes through the mucosal tissue to treat the targeted nasal tissue at a selected tissue depth below the mucosal tissue, and
wherein the plurality of expandable treatment elements is configured to expand to a size and a shape to position the multiple pairs of radiofrequency electrodes in contact with the mucosal tissue.
11 . The device of claim 10 , wherein the multiple pairs of bipolar radiofrequency electrodes comprise a first subset of pairs of bipolar radiofrequency electrodes and a second subset of pairs of bipolar radiofrequency electrodes.
12 . The device of claim 11 , wherein a first level of radiofrequency energy is provided to the first subset of pairs of bipolar radiofrequency electrodes and a second level of radiofrequency energy is provided to the second subset of pairs of bipolar radiofrequency electrodes, and wherein the first level of radiofrequency energy is provided to the first subset of pairs of bipolar radiofrequency electrode irrespective of whether the second level of radiofrequency energy is concurrently provided to the second subset of pairs of bipolar radiofrequency electrode.
13 . The device of claim 12 , wherein each of the multiple rows comprises at least four electrodes.
14 . The device of claim 12 , wherein each of the multiple rows comprises at least three electrodes.
15 . The device of claim 12 , further comprising a generator configured to provide radiofrequency energy to the multiple pairs of bipolar radiofrequency electrode.