IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,369,966
Granted Patent B2
US 12,369,966 · App. 17/649,307 · Granted Jul 29, 2025

Methods and devices to treat nasal airways

Inventors: Scott J. Wolf (Menlo Park, CA); Andrew Frazier (Sunnyvale, CA)
Assignee: Aerin Medical Inc.
A61B18/12A61B18/14A61B18/1485A61N1/40A61B5/01A61B2017/248A61B17/2816A61B17/320068A61B2017/320069A61B2017/32007A61B2018/00005A61B2018/00023A61B2018/0016A61B2018/00178A61B2018/0022A61B2018/00327A61B2018/00577A61B2018/00595A61B2018/00642A61B2018/00702A61B2018/00708A61B2018/00791A61B2018/00821A61B2018/00875A61B2018/00886A61B2018/0091A61B2018/00922A61B2018/00982A61B2018/00994A61B18/02A61B2018/0212A61B2018/0225A61B2018/0262A61B18/06A61B18/085A61B18/1206A61B2018/1253A61B2018/126A61B2018/1425A61B2018/143A61B18/1442A61B18/1445A61B18/1477A61B18/16A61B18/18A61B2018/1807A61B18/1815A61B2018/1861A61B18/20A61F5/08A61F5/56A61F7/10A61N1/403A61N5/025A61N5/0603A61N5/0625A61N7/022F04C2270/041
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,369,966
App. No.
17/649,307
Granted
Jul 29, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

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.

Claims (30)

1. A method of treating a patient's nasal airway, the method comprising:

positioning a treatment element of a treatment device in contact with nasal mucosa in the nasal airway;

delivering radiofrequency energy at a power of 1 watt to 10 watts with a plurality of pairs of bipolar radiofrequency electrodes positioned in two rows on the treatment element, wherein the radiofrequency energy passes through the nasal mucosa to at least one underlying tissue below the nasal mucosa; and

maintaining a temperature of the nasal mucosa in contact with the treatment element within a temperature range between 50 degrees Celsius to 70 degrees Celsius while delivering the radiofrequency energy,

wherein delivering the radiofrequency energy to the at least one underlying tissue changes at least one property of the at least one underlying tissue.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein maintaining the temperature of the nasal mucosa comprises:

measuring the temperature of the nasal mucosa with a temperature measurement member on the treatment element;

providing the measured temperature to a control unit coupled with the treatment device; and

if the measured temperature is outside the temperature range, adjusting an amount of the radiofrequency energy delivered by the plurality of pairs of bipolar radiofrequency electrodes.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the temperature measurement member comprises a thermocouple.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method is performed without creating a surgical incision or implanting a surgical implant.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising applying the treatment element to the nasal mucosa with sufficient force to alter a shape of the at least one underlying tissue, wherein the at least one property comprises the shape, and wherein the at least one underlying tissue retains an altered shape after the treatment device has been removed and the at least one underlying tissue has healed.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one underlying tissue is located or adjacent a nasal valve.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one property of the at least one underlying tissue comprises a mechanical property that increases a volumetric airflow rate of air flowing from an exterior of a patient's body into a patient's nasopharynx without changing a shape of an internal nasal valve.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one underlying tissue is selected from the group consisting of cartilage and submucosa.

9. A method of treating a patient's nasal airway, the method comprising:

positioning a treatment element of a treatment device in contact with nasal mucosa in the nasal airway, the treatment element comprising a plurality of pairs of bipolar radiofrequency electrodes positioned in two rows;

providing radiofrequency energy at a power of 1 watt to 10 watts from a plurality of electrical channels to the plurality of pairs of bipolar radiofrequency electrodes on the treatment element, each electrical channel providing energy to a subset of the plurality of pairs of bipolar radiofrequency electrodes to allow for different regions of the treatment element to be activated separately, wherein the radiofrequency energy passes through the nasal mucosa to at least one underlying tissue below the nasal mucosa; and

maintaining a temperature of the nasal mucosa in contact with the treatment element within a temperature range while delivering the radiofrequency energy by controlling each subset of the plurality of pairs of bipolar radiofrequency electrodes separately using separate feedback for each of the plurality of electrical channels, the temperature range comprising 50 degrees Celsius to 70 degrees Celsius,

wherein delivering the radiofrequency energy to the at least one underlying tissue changes at least one property of the at least one underlying tissue.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein maintaining the temperature of the nasal mucosa comprises:

measuring the temperature of the nasal mucosa with at least one temperature measurement member on the treatment element;

providing the measured temperature to a control unit coupled with the treatment device; and

if the measured temperature is outside the temperature range, adjusting an amount of the radiofrequency energy delivered by the plurality of pairs of bipolar radiofrequency electrodes.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the temperature measurement member comprises a thermocouple.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the method is performed without creating a surgical incision or implanting a surgical implant.

13. The method of claim 9 , further comprising applying the treatment element to the nasal mucosa with sufficient force to alter at least one property of the at least one underlying tissue, wherein the at least one property comprises a shape of the at least one underlying tissue, and wherein the at least one underlying tissue retains an altered shape after the treatment device has been removed and the at least one underlying tissue has healed.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the at least one property of the at least one underlying tissue comprises a mechanical property that increases a volumetric airflow rate of air flowing from an exterior of a patient's body into a patient's nasopharynx without changing a shape of an internal nasal valve.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein the at least one underlying tissue is located at or adjacent a nasal valve.

16. The method of claim 9 , wherein the at least one underlying tissue is selected from the group consisting of cartilage and submucosa.

Assignments (2)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 20, 2024
From: AERIN MEDICAL INC.
To: ARES CAPITAL CORPORATION, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 069746/0508 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 28, 2022
From: WOLF, SCOTT J.; FRAZIER, ANDREW
To: AERIN MEDICAL INC.
Reel/Frame 058815/0780 →
Continuity (9)
Continuation 16376864 · Apr 5, 2019
Continuation 15903319 · Feb 23, 2018
Continuation 15480575 · Apr 6, 2017
Continuation 15380812 · Dec 15, 2016
Continuation 14963719 · Dec 9, 2015
Continuation 13495879 · Jun 13, 2012
Provisional Application 61603864 · Feb 27, 2012
Provisional Application 61496930 · Jun 14, 2011
Related Publication 20220142699A1 · May 12, 2022
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