Orifice insertion devices and methods
View Patent ↗Methods and devices for sealing an orifice are provided. A sealing element is inserted into an orifice. A fluid is transferred into the sealing element. Fluid transfer into the sealing element is restricted when a pressure in the sealing element is greater than a threshold value.
1. A method of sealing an ear canal comprising:
inserting a sealing element into an ear canal;
transferring a fluid into the sealing element to seal the ear canal;
measuring a change of pressure in the sealing element responsive to the transferring of the fluid into the sealing element; and
activating a valve to prevent fluid transfer into the sealing element when the measured change of pressure is greater than a threshold value.
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the measuring of the change of pressure includes measuring a gauge pressure.
3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the threshold value is between 0.04 bar and 2.4 bar.
4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the sealing element includes a non-expandable balloon having an initial size and shape, the non-expandable balloon configured to be compressed but not substantially expanded beyond the initial size and shape.
5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the sealing element includes an expandable balloon.
6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the sealing element includes an expandable polymer.
7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the transferring of the fluid includes moving the fluid through an interior channel of a tube feeding the sealing element.
8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the transferring of the fluid includes moving the fluid from outside a tube feeding the sealing element.
9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the fluid is at least one of a gas, a liquid, and a mixture of liquid and suspended particles.
10. An ear canal sealing device comprising:
a sealing element configured to be inserted into an ear canal;
a fluid transfer element configured to pass transfer fluid into the sealing element to seal the ear canal;
a pressure measurement device configured to measure a change of pressure in the sealing element responsive to the transferring of the fluid into the sealing element; and
a valve configured to be activated to prevent fluid transfer into the sealing element when the measured change of pressure is greater than a threshold value.
11. The device according to claim 10 , wherein the pressure is measurement device is configured to measure a gauge pressure.
12. The device according to claim 10 , wherein the threshold value is between 0.04 bar and 2.4 bar gauge.
13. The device according to claim 10 , wherein the sealing element includes a non-expandable balloon having an initial size and shape, the non-expandable balloon configured to be compressed but not substantially expanded beyond the initial size and shape.
14. The device according to claim 10 , wherein the sealing element includes an expandable balloon.
15. The device according to claim 10 , wherein the sealing element includes an expandable polymer.
16. The device according to claim 10 , wherein the fluid transfer element is an interior channel of a tube feeding the sealing element.
17. The device according to claim 10 , wherein the fluid transfer element is a channel outside a tube feeding the sealing element.
18. The device according to claim 10 , wherein the fluid is at least one of a gas, a liquid, and a mixture of liquid and suspended particles.