Surgical tools to facilitate delivery of a neurostimulator into the pterygopalatine fossa

1. A method for delivering a neurostimulator to within close proximity of a sphenopalatine ganglion (SPG), said method comprising the steps of:

making an incision at a gingival-buccal insertion site;

inserting a first surgical tool into the incision;

advancing the first surgical tool under a zygomatic bone along a maxillary tuberosity towards a PPF to form a first surgical access cavity;

forming a second surgical access cavity at an end of the first surgical access cavity that is in close proximity to the SPG; and

delivering the neurostimulator in close proximity to the SPG via the first and second surgical access cavities.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said advancing step further comprises the steps of:

advancing the first surgical tool until a distal dissecting tip of the first surgical tool engages a junction formed by a posterior maxillary buttress and a pterygoid plate; and

rotating the first surgical tool in a superior direction until the distal dissecting tip is positioned about the PPF.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said step of forming a second surgical access cavity further comprises the steps of:

advancing a tunneling member into contact with an insertion groove of the first surgical tool;

urging the tunneling member along the insertion groove into contact with an end of the first surgical access cavity; and

advancing the tunneling member through the end of the first surgical access cavity to form the second surgical access cavity.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said step of delivering the neurostimulator includes the further steps of:

withdrawing the first surgical tool and the tunneling member from the first and second surgical access cavities, respectively;

securely mating the neurostimulator with a neurostimulator delivery device, the neurostimulator including a stimulation lead and the neurostimulator delivery device including a spine;

advancing a second surgical tool into the first surgical access cavity;

slidably engaging the spine with an insertion groove of the second surgical tool until the stimulation lead is positioned within the second surgical access cavity;

disengaging the neurostimulator from the neurostimulator deployment apparatus; and

securing the neurostimulator about the PPF so that the stimulation lead is in close proximity to the SPG.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the neurostimulator is programmed to deliver an electrical current to the SPG to treat a medical condition.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the medical condition is pain.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the pain is at least one of headache and facial pain.

8. A method comprising the steps of:

receiving a first surgical tool through an incision at a gingival-buccal insertion site of a subject;

receiving the first surgical tool under a zygomatic bone along a maxillary tuberosity towards a pterygopalatine fossa (PPF) to form a first surgical access cavity;

receiving a tunneling member at an end of the first surgical access cavity to form a second surgical access cavity that is in close proximity to the sphenopalatine ganglion (SPG); and

receiving a neurostimulator in close proximity to the SPG via the first and second surgical access cavities.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising the step of applying, by the subject, an electrical current from the neurostimulator to the SPG to treat a medical condition.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the medical condition is pain.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the pain is at least one of headache and facial pain.