Method and apparatus for ablating turbinates

Abstract

Abstract A method and apparatus are provided for ablating at least a portion of a nasal concha. By ablating at least a portion of a nasal concha, the size of the nasal concha is reduced. The three nasal concha in the body (inferior, middle and superior nasal concha) form at least a portion of the three nasal meatus (inferior, middle and superior nasal meatus) in the body. By reducing the size of a nasal concha, obstruction of a nasal meatus is reduced or eliminated. As a result, air flow through the nasal meatus is improved. The apparatus includes a catheter with at least one energy delivery device for delivering ablative energy. The method includes positioning the catheter through a nostril of a patient into a nasal meatus adjacent a surface of a nasal concha and delivering sufficient ablative energy from the at least one energy delivery device to the nasal concha to ablate at least a portion of the nasal concha. The energy delivered can be RF, microwave, ultrasound, or laser radiation. The energy is delivered either by probes exiting the catheter and entering the core of the concha, without ablating the surface of the nasal concha, or by other non intruding means. Parameters relevant to the process are tissue impedance, temperature, and amount of energy. An expandable member, inflated by an electrolyte cools the operation site, and allows through its pores the outflow of the electrolyte which can have bioactive, chemoactive or radioactive properties.

Inventors

• 👤 Stuart D. Edwards

Bibliographic Details