Balloon dilation system with malleable internal guide

1. An apparatus comprising:

(a) a handle assembly;

(b) a guide assembly extending distally from the handle assembly, wherein the guide assembly comprises:

(i) a malleable guide member having a distal end, wherein the malleable guide member is configured to assume and maintain a bent shape relative to a longitudinal axis of the guide assembly, and

(ii) a flexible guide member having a distal end, wherein the distal end of the flexible guide member is distal to the distal end of the malleable guide member, wherein the flexible guide member is slidably disposed positioned about the malleable guide member, wherein an entirety of the flexible guide member is translatable relative to the malleable guide member to advance the distal end of the flexible guide member relative to the distal end of the malleable guide member, wherein a portion of the flexible guide member is slidable along the malleable guide member; and

(c) a dilation catheter, wherein the dilation catheter is slidably disposed about the flexible guide member, wherein the flexible guide member and the dilation catheter are slidable independently of one another relative to the malleable guide member via the handle assembly.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the handle assembly comprises:

(i) a body,

(ii) a first actuator coupled with the flexible guide member, wherein the first actuator is movable relative to the body to selectively move the flexible guide member longitudinally relative to the malleable guide member, and

(iii) a second actuator coupled with the dilation catheter, wherein the second actuator is movable relative to the body to selectively move the dilation catheter longitudinally relative to the flexible guide member.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the malleable guide member is longitudinally fixed relative to the handle assembly.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the malleable guide member comprises a malleable wire.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the malleable wire has a non-circular cross-sectional profile.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the malleable wire has a rounded distal end.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the malleable guide member comprises a malleable tube.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the guide assembly further comprises one or more optical fibers.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the one or more optical fibers extend through a lumen defined by the malleable tube.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the guide assembly further comprises a core wire, wherein the core wire is secured to the flexible guide member.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the malleable guide member is rotatable relative to the handle assembly about a longitudinal axis defined by the malleable guide member.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the flexible guide member comprises a guidewire.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the guidewire comprises a wire wound to form a coil.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the flexible guide member comprises an optically transmissive polymeric material.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the flexible guide member has a distal tip configured to transmit light.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the guide assembly further comprises two or more angle stops configured to provide tactile feedback associated with two or more predetermined bend angles.

17. An apparatus comprising:

(a) a guide assembly comprising:

(i) a malleable guide member having a distal end, wherein a bending portion of the malleable guide member is configured to assume and maintain a bend angle relative to a longitudinal axis of the guide assembly, and

(ii) a flexible guide member having a distal end, wherein the distal end of the flexible guide member is distal to the distal end of the malleable guide member, wherein the flexible guide member is positioned about the malleable guide member such that the malleable guide member is positioned within the flexible guide member, wherein an entirety of the flexible guide member is translatable relative to the malleable guide member, wherein a portion of the flexible guide member is slidable along the malleable guide member and over the bending portion thereof while the malleable guide member maintains the bend angle; and

(c) a dilation catheter, wherein the dilation catheter is slidably disposed about the flexible guide member such that the flexible guide member is positioned within the dilation catheter, wherein the dilation catheter is dimensioned to fit within a passageway associated with a paranasal sinus,

(d) a handle assembly; wherein the flexible guide member and the dilation catheter are slidable independently of one another relative to the malleable guide member via the handle assembly.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the malleable guide member is configured to bend along only one orthogonal plane.

19. A method of operating an instrument to dilate a targeted anatomical passageway in a patient, the method comprising:

(a) before inserting the instrument into a patient, bending a guide assembly to achieve and maintain a bend angle, wherein the bend angle is selected to orient a distal end of the guide assembly toward the targeted anatomical passageway, wherein the guide assembly comprises:

(i) an inner malleable guide member having a bending portion and a distal end, wherein bending the guide assembly includes bending the bending portion, and

(ii) an outer flexible guide member slidably disposed over the malleable guide member and having a distal end;

(b) inserting the distal end of the guide assembly through a nostril of the patient while the guide assembly remains bent at the selected bend angle;

(c) orienting the distal end of the guide assembly toward the targeted anatomical passageway while the distal end of the guide assembly is positioned in the patient;

(d) translating an entirety of the flexible guide member distally relative to the malleable guide member such that a portion of the flexible guide member slides along the bent bending portion of the malleable guide member to position a portion of the flexible guide member in the targeted anatomical passageway;

(e) advancing a dilation catheter along the advanced flexible guide member to thereby position an expandable element of the dilation catheter in the targeted anatomical passageway; and

(f) expanding the expandable element in the targeted anatomical passageway.

20. The apparatus of claim 17 , further comprising a bend angle feature configured to provide tactile feedback when the malleable guide member first assumes the bend angle.