Device and method for nasal surgery
View Patent ↗Methods, devices and systems for the treatment of nasal valve collapse or other conditions of the ear, nose or throat.
1. A method for maintaining a patient's nasal value to prevent occlusion of the patient's nasal passage comprising:
trans-nasally forming a tunnel to access a patient's nasal mucosa;
driving a first suture anchor having a first trailing suture through the tunnel to create a trans-nasal pocket and implanting the first suture anchor into a targeted location;
inserting a suture retriever through the tunnel to retrieve the first trailing suture and pulling the first trailing suture through a nasal opening of the patient;
driving a second suture anchor having a second trailing suture through the tunnel and implanting the second suture anchor into a second targeted location;
inserting a suture retriever through the tunnel to retrieve the second trailing suture and pulling the second trailing suture through a nasal opening of the patient;
feeding the first and second trailing sutures through a supporter having holes for introducing the trailing sutures and advancing the supporter over the trailing sutures to place the supporter within the trans-nasal pocket of the patient; and
tensioning the suture anchors, trailing sutures and supporter to correct for nasal collapse and maintain open the nasal passage of the patient.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of tying off the trailing sutures and trimming the trailing sutures on the underside of the supporter.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of trans-nasally forming the tunnel is performed by introducing a hypodermic needle with a stylet into the nasal mucosa and then withdrawing the stylet.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of driving the suture anchors is performed by an inserter.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the target region for placement of the suture anchors is in the patient's maxilla bone.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein tensioning suture anchors, trailing sutures and supporter is performed within the nasal valve tissue of the patient.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein the target region for the supporter is underneath the endonasal mucosa at the internal nasal valve of the patient.