Devices to treat nasal airways
A device is described for treating a nasal airway by modifying a property of a nasal tissue of or near a nasal valve of the airway, without using a surgical incision or an implant, to decrease airflow resistance or perceived airflow resistance in the nasal airway. Various embodiments include an elongate shaft, a bipolar radiofrequency delivery member extending from one end of the shaft, and a handle attached to the elongate shaft at an opposite end from the radiofrequency delivery member. The radiofrequency delivery member is sized to be inserted into a nose and configured to at least temporarily deform the nasal tissue and deliver radiofrequency energy. The radiofrequency delivery member includes two rows of protruding electrodes disposed on a tissue contact surface, and the device is configured to deliver radiofrequency energy from one row of electrodes to the other row of electrodes.
1. A device for treating a nasal airway by modifying a property of a nasal tissue of or near a nasal valve of the airway, without using a surgical incision or an implant, to decrease airflow resistance or perceived airflow resistance in the nasal airway, the device comprising:
a handle;
an elongate shaft extending from the handle;
a treatment element extending from the elongate shaft; and
one or more wings extending from the treatment element,
wherein the treatment element is sized to be inserted into a nostril and configured to at least temporarily deform nasal tissue and deliver radiofrequency energy to modify the property of the nasal tissue, and wherein the treatment element comprises:
a tissue contact surface having a shape configured to at least temporarily deform the nasal tissue into a desired shape; and
a bipolar electrode pair disposed on the tissue contact surface.
2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the shape of the tissue contact surface comprises a shape selected from the group consisting of a flat shape, a convex shape, and a concave shape.
3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the shape of the tissue contact surface is adjustable.
4. The device of claim 3 , wherein the treatment element further comprises an adjustment element configured to adjust the shape of the tissue contact surface, the adjustment element selected from the group consisting of a joint, an arm, a guidewire, a balloon, a screw, a stent, and a scissoring arm.
5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the elongate shaft is flexible such that a user can adjust an angle of the elongate shaft by bending the elongate shaft.
6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more wings are configured to resist the treatment element contacting tissue that a user does not want to treat.
7. The device of claim 6 , wherein the tissue that a user does not want to treat comprises tissue located near an intersection between a nasal lateral wall and a nasal septum.
8. The device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more wings are adjustable.
9. The device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more wings are expandable.