Devices for Therapeutic Nasal Neuromodulation and Associated Methods and Systems
Devices for therapeutic nasal neuromodulation and associated systems and methods are disclosed herein. A system for therapeutic neuromodulation in a nasal region configured in accordance with embodiments of the present technology can include, for example, a shaft and a therapeutic element at a distal portion of the shaft. The shaft can locate the distal portion intraluminally at a target site inferior to a patient's sphenopalatine foramen. The therapeutic element can include an energy delivery element configured to therapeutically modulate postganglionic parasympathetic nerves at microforamina of a palatine bone of the human patient for the treatment of rhinitis or other indications. In other embodiments, the therapeutic element can be configured to therapeutically modulate nerves that innervate the frontal, ethmoidal, sphenoidal, and maxillary sinuses for the treatment of chronic sinusitis.
1 .- 103 . (canceled)
104 . A system for treating a condition within a nasal cavity of a patient, the system comprising:
a device comprising an end effector configured to deliver energy to a target site and sense one or more properties of the target site; and
a console unit operably associated with the device and configured to receive data from the device associated with the one or more properties of the target site and process data to provide information to an operator related to the target site.
105 . The system of claim 104 , wherein the console unit is configured to provide information associated with at least one of: the identification and location of target and non-target anatomical structures at the one or more target sites prior to therapeutic modulation; the identification and location of target and non-target neural structures at the one or more target sites prior to therapeutic modulation; real-time feedback associated with efficacy of therapeutic neuromodulation treatment on the one or more target anatomic and/or neural structures during therapeutic neuromodulation; and feedback associated with efficacy of therapeutic neuromodulation treatment on the one or more anatomic and/or neural structures after therapeutic neuromodulation.
106 . The system of claim 105 , wherein the end effector comprises a plurality of elements and a subset of the plurality of elements are configured to deliver non-therapeutic stimulating energy to tissue at the one or more target sites at a frequency for locating at least one of target neural structures, non-target neural structures, target anatomical structures, and non-target anatomical structures.
107 . The system of claim 106 , wherein a subset of the plurality of elements of the end effector are configured to sense properties of at least one of the target neural structures, non-target neural structures, target anatomical structures, and non-target anatomical structures in response to the non-therapeutic stimulating energy.
108 . The system of claim 107 , wherein the properties comprise at least one of a physiological properties, bioelectric properties, and thermal properties.
109 . The system of claim 108 , wherein the bioelectric properties comprises at least one of complex impedance, resistance, reactance, capacitance, inductance, permittivity, conductivity, nerve firing voltage, nerve firing current, depolarization, hyperpolarization, magnetic field, and induced electromotive force.
110 . The system of claim 105 , wherein the console unit is configured to detect and/or map locations of at least one of the target neural structures, non-target neural structures, target anatomical structures, and non-target anatomical structures and control the delivery of therapeutic energy from the end effector in neuromodulation pattern based on the locations of at least one of the target neural structures, non-target neural structures, target anatomical structures, and non-target anatomical structures.
111 . The system of claim 110 , wherein at least some of the elements of the end effector are configured to deliver energy based on the neuromodulation pattern at a level sufficient to therapeutically modulate one or more nerves associated with the locations of the target neural and/or target anatomical structures while avoiding locations of the non-target neural and/or target anatomical structures.
112 . The system of claim 105 , wherein the console unit comprises a controller configured to selectively control energy output from elements of the end effector, wherein some of the elements are configured to be independently activated and controlled to thereby deliver energy independent of one another.
113 . The system of claim 112 , wherein the controller is configured to adjust energy output from elements of the end effector based, at least in part, on the real-time feedback associated with the effectiveness of therapeutic neuromodulation on the one or more target anatomic and/or neural structures during therapeutic neuromodulation thereof.
114 . A method for treating a condition within a nasal cavity of a patient, the method comprising:
providing a system comprising a device comprising an end effector configured to deliver energy to a target site and sense one or more properties of the target site; and a console unit operably associated with the device and configured to receive data from the device associated with the one or more properties of the target site and process data to provide information to an operator related to the target site;
advancing the end effector to a target site within a nasal cavity of a patient;
receiving information related to the target site from the system prior to, during, and/or after use of the system to delivery energy to the target site.
115 . The method of claim 114 , wherein the information provided by the console unit is associated with at least one of: the identification and location of target and non-target anatomical structures at the one or more target sites prior to therapeutic modulation; the identification and location of target and non-target neural structures at the one or more target sites prior to therapeutic modulation; real-time feedback associated with efficacy of therapeutic neuromodulation treatment on the one or more target anatomic and/or neural structures during therapeutic neuromodulation; and feedback associated with efficacy of therapeutic neuromodulation treatment on the one or more anatomic and/or neural structures after therapeutic neuromodulation.
116 . The method of claim 115 , further comprising delivering, via some of the plurality of elements of the end effector, non-therapeutic stimulating energy to tissue at the one or more target sites at frequencies for locating at least one of target neural structures, non-target neural structures, target anatomical structures, and non-target anatomical structures.
117 . The method of claim 116 , further comprising sensing, via a subset of the plurality of elements, properties of at least one of the target neural structures, non-target neural structures, target anatomical structures, and non-target anatomical structures in response to the delivery of stimulating energy.
118 . The method of claim 117 , wherein the properties comprise at least one of a physiological properties, bioelectric properties, and thermal properties.
119 . The method of claim 118 , wherein the bioelectric properties comprises at least one of complex impedance, resistance, reactance, capacitance, inductance, permittivity, conductivity, nerve firing voltage, nerve firing current, depolarization, hyperpolarization, magnetic field, and induced electromotive force.
120 . The method of claim 115 , further comprising detecting and/or mapping, via the console unit, locations of at least one of the target neural structures, non-target neural structures, target anatomical structures, and non-target anatomical structures and controlling, via a controller of the console unit, the delivery of therapeutic energy from the end effector in neuromodulation pattern based on the locations of at least one of the target neural structures, non-target neural structures, target anatomical structures, and non-target anatomical structures.
121 . The method of claim 120 , further comprising delivering, via some of the elements of the end effector, energy based on the neuromodulation pattern at a level sufficient to therapeutically modulate one or more nerves associated with the locations of the target neural and/or target anatomical structures while avoiding locations of the non-target neural and/or target anatomical structures.
122 . The method of claim 115 , wherein the console unit comprises a controller configured to selectively control energy output from elements of the end effector, wherein some of the elements are configured to be independently activated and controlled to thereby deliver energy independent of one another.
123 . The method of claim 122 , further comprising adjusting, via the controller, energy output from elements of the end effector based, at least in part, on the real-time feedback associated with the effectiveness of therapeutic neuromodulation on the one or more target anatomic and/or neural structures during therapeutic neuromodulation thereof.