Balloon catheters and methods for treating paranasal sinuses

Abstract

A set of sinus balloon catheters are provided for treating a patient's paranasal sinus system, including dilating prepared openings, and natural ostia and ducts and excising sinus cavities. These include a balloon catheter with a bend placing a distal segment at 90° to a proximal segment and a balloon catheter which is substantially straight. The catheters have sufficient stiffness and column strength that the balloon carrying distal segment of the catheter can be pushed into the prepared opening, natural ostium or duct, or sinus to be excised. The catheters have appropriate inflated working diameters and appropriate outer diameters with the balloon deflated that will enable the catheter to be pushed into the respective prepared opening, natural ostium or duct, or sinus cavity to be excised. The methods use the balloon catheters to dilate prepared openings to selected parts of the sinus system, to dilate natural ostia and ducts of the sinus system, and/or to dilate sinus cavities to remove them.

1 .- 25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . A method of using a dilator to dilate a space within a head of a patient, wherein the dilator comprises:
 (i) an elongate member having a proximal portion, a distal portion, and a preformed bend, and   (ii) an expandable member,   
       wherein the method comprises: 
       (a) inserting at least a portion of the preformed bend into the head of the patient, wherein the expandable member is in a non-expanded state during the act of inserting, wherein the elongate member maintains the preformed bend during the act of inserting; 
       (b) positioning the expandable member in the space within the head of the patient via the elongate member, wherein the expandable member is in a non-expanded state during the act of positioning, wherein the expandable member is distal to the preformed bend during the act of positioning, wherein the elongate member maintains the preformed bend during the act of positioning; and 
       (c) expanding the expandable member within the space, thereby dilating the space, wherein the expandable member is distal to the preformed bend during the act of expanding. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the preformed bend is located proximal to the space during the act of expanding. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the expandable member is fixedly secured to the elongate member. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the expandable member comprises a balloon. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the space is adjacent to a frontal sinus in the head of the patient. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the space is adjacent to a maxillary sinus in the head of the patient. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the space is adjacent to an ethmoid sinus in the head of the patient. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the space is adjacent to a sphenoid sinus in the head of the patient. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the act of positioning comprises rotating the elongate member while the expandable member and the at least a portion of the preformed bend are disposed in the head of the patient, wherein the act of rotating the elongate member is performed after the act of inserting. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the act of inserting comprises inserting the expandable member and the at least a portion of the preformed bend through a nose of the patient. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the space within the head of the patient is configured to provide a drainage passageway for a paranasal sinus. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the space within the head of the patient comprises a sinus ostium. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising removing at least a portion of an anatomical structure within the head of the patient, wherein the act of removing is performed before the act of positioning. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the anatomical structure comprises a middle turbinate. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the anatomical structure comprises an uncinate process. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising forming an opening in an anatomical structure within the head of the patient to thereby define the space, wherein the act of forming is performed before the act of positioning. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the preformed bend provides an angle between 70° and 115° between the proximal portion and the distal portion. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the preformed bend provides an angle between 130° and 180° between the proximal portion and the distal portion 
     
     
         44 . A method of dilating a space within a head of a patient, the method comprising:
 (a) inserting an elongate member with a bent distal end into a head of a patient, wherein the bent distal end is bent to provide a preformed bend before the act of inserting;   (b) positioning an expandable member in the space within the head of the patient via the elongate member, wherein the expandable member is in a non-expanded state during the act of positioning, wherein the bent distal end maintains the preformed bend during the act of positioning; and   (c) expanding the expandable member within the space, thereby dilating the space.   
     
     
         45 . A method of dilating a space within a head of a patient, the method comprising:
 (a) inserting a rigid elongate member into a head of a patient, wherein the rigid elongate member comprises a rigid bend, wherein at least a portion of the rigid bend is inserted into the head of the patient;   (b) positioning an expandable member in the space within the head of the patient via the elongate member, wherein the expandable member is in a non-expanded state during the act of positioning; and   (c) expanding the expandable member within the space, thereby dilating the space.