Nasal Device for Treatment

Abstract

Herein disclosed are nasal inserts for treatment and/or management of various different ailments. Easy modification of the insert allows for treatment of various ailments that can readily be treated via the nose. The insert can direct air into or out of the nasal cavity and/or deliver medicinal substances and/or non-medicinal substances to the appropriate regions, thereby providing the appropriate therapeutic effect, depending on the ailment being treated.

The claimed invention is: 
     
         1 . A nasal insert for insertion into a nasal cavity, comprising:
 a body comprising a proximal end, at least one distal end configured to be positioned within the nasal cavity, and a sidewall extending between the proximal end and the at least one distal end,   wherein at least one portion of the body comprises and/or is coated by at least one component designed to produce a required effect(s) configured to be released from the body to region(s) of the nasal cavity.   
     
     
         2 . The nasal insert of  claim 1 , wherein the proximal end of the body is configured to be positioned proximate to a nostril of the nasal cavity, and wherein the at least one distal end is configured to be positioned within the nasal cavity beyond a nasal valve of the nasal cavity. 
     
     
         3 . The nasal insert of  claim 1 , wherein the sidewall comprises an inner surface defining at least one passageway, an outer surface, and at least one opening through the sidewall, which is configured to be positioned within the nasal cavity. 
     
     
         4 . The nasal insert of  claim 3 , further comprising at least one valve and/or at least one filter in communication with the at least one passageway,
 wherein the at least one valve permits air and/or other components in one direction in the at least one passageway, and/or   wherein the at least one filter is configured to reduce an amount of or prevent particles with selected characteristics from passing through the at least one passageway.   
     
     
         5 . The nasal insert of  claim 4 , wherein the selected characteristics comprise particle size, molecule structure, and/or polarity. 
     
     
         6 . The nasal insert of  claim 1 , wherein, when deployed in the nasal cavity, the body is configured to: direct incoming or outgoing air and/or other components to region(s) of the nasal cavity and/or beyond it; and/or prevent the incoming or outgoing air and/or other components from reaching region(s) in the nasal cavity and/or beyond it; and/or reduce an amount of air and/or other components in region(s) of the nasal cavity and/or beyond it. 
     
     
         7 . The nasal insert of  claim 1 , wherein the body comprises at least one seal extending directly or indirectly from the sidewall of the body configured to (i) reduce or prevent movement of air and/or other components across the at least one seal and/or (ii) deflect air and/or other component flow, and
 wherein the at least one seal is a total seal, a partial seal, or a selective seal.   
     
     
         8 . The nasal insert of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one hook extending directly or indirectly from an outer surface of the sidewall of the body configured to hold the nasal insert in the nasal cavity. 
     
     
         9 . The nasal insert of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one distal end of the body is positioned in a first region of the nasal cavity, the nasal insert further comprising at least one segment protruding from the sidewall of the body, the at least one segment comprising a proximal end connected to the sidewall of the body, a distal end configured to be positioned proximate to a second region of the nasal cavity, and a segment sidewall extending between the proximal end and the distal end of the segment. 
     
     
         10 . The nasal insert of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one component designed to produce the required effect(s) comprises at least one of: a drug; a medicine; a vaccine; an anti-bacterial agent; an anaesthetization agent; hormone(s); agonists; antagonists; material(s) for shrinking nasal mucus/polyps/tumor(s); material(s) for sanitization, antisepsis, gene therapy, cell targeted therapy, immunotherapy, chemotherapy, electric-based-signal acts/procedures, radiation-based acts, light-based acts; or material(s) for acts/procedures delivered via transdermal, protein-based, electric, ultrasonic, or laser-based technologies. 
     
     
         11 . The nasal insert of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one component designed to produce the required effect(s) is configured to release from the body of the nasal insert in response to a condition or trigger. 
     
     
         12 . The nasal insert of  claim 1 , wherein the body of the nasal insert further comprises a container(s) containing the at least one component designed to produce the required effect(s). 
     
     
         13 . The nasal insert of  claim 12 , wherein the container(s) comprises a biodegradable material configured to degrade from exposure to at least one of temperature/humidity, enzyme(s), pressure, saline, bacteria, radiation, light, electricity, or ultrasound, and
 wherein degradation of the container(s) releases the at least one component designed to produce the required effect(s) from the container(s) to the nasal cavity.   
     
     
         14 . The nasal insert of  claim 12 , wherein the container(s) comprises a plurality of holes configured to expand to release the at least one component designed to produce the required effect(s) from the container(s). 
     
     
         15 . The nasal insert of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one component designed to produce the required effect(s) comprises a powder embedded in the body of the nasal insert. 
     
     
         16 . The nasal insert of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one portion of the body of the nasal insert comprising and/or coated by the at least one component designed to produce the required effect(s) is removable from other portions of the body of the nasal insert. 
     
     
         17 . A method for introducing at least one component designed to produce a required effect(s) to a nasal cavity, the method comprising:
 inserting the body of the nasal insert of  claim 1  into the nasal cavity, such that the at least one distal end of the body is proximate to a first region of the nasal cavity and the proximal end of the nasal insert is proximate to a nostril of the nasal cavity,   wherein the nasal insert body is configured to: (1) direct the air and/or any substance/component towards the first region, and/or towards other region(s) of the nasal cavity or beyond it and/or to manipulate the air/any substance in relation to these regions; (2) create a bypass of region(s) in the nasal cavity and/or beyond it; (3) direct air/any substance/component away from region(s) in the nasal cavity and/or beyond it, thereby delaying, blocking, and/or reducing the amount of and/or manipulating the any substance/component from reaching or being in close proximity to region(s) of the nasal cavity and/or beyond; (4) manipulate the first region, and/or other region(s) in the nasal cavity or beyond; (5) provide a component/substance to region(s) in the nasal cavity or beyond it; and/or (6) provide a substance/component to region(s) in the nasal cavity or beyond in a controlled release over time.   
     
     
         18 . A nasal insert for insertion into a nasal cavity, comprising:
 a body comprising a proximal end, at least one distal end configured to be positioned within the nasal cavity proximate to and/or at a first region of the nasal cavity, and a sidewall extending between the proximal end and the at least one distal end; and   at least one segment protruding from the sidewall of the body, the at least one segment comprising a proximal end connected to the sidewall of the body, a distal end configured to be positioned proximate to and/or at a second region of the nasal cavity, and a segment sidewall extending between the proximal end and the distal end of the segment.   
     
     
         19 . The nasal insert of  claim 18 , wherein the first region of the nasal cavity comprises one or more of the following regions of the nasal cavity: nasal floor, vestibule, nasal valve, an inferior meatus, inferior concha, middle meatus, middle concha, superior meatus, superior concha, posterior meatus, upper concha, one or more of sinuses' opening, nasal roof, olfactory area, septum, septum opening, nasal mucosa, nasal cilia, blood vessels, endocrine related areas, lymphatic system, trigeminal nerve/ganglion, nasopharynx, or entrance(s) to an auditory tube or a trachea region(s), and
 the second region of the nasal cavity comprises one or more of the following other regions of the nasal cavity: nasal floor, vestibule, nasal valve, inferior meatus, inferior concha, middle meatus, middle concha, superior meatus, superior concha, posterior meatus, upper concha, one or more of sinuses' opening, nasal roof, olfactory area, septum, septum opening, nasal mucosa, nasal cilia, blood vessels, endocrine related areas, lymphatic system, trigeminal nerve/ganglion, nasopharynx, or entrance(s) to an auditory tube or a trachea region(s).   
     
     
         20 . The nasal insert of  claim 18 , wherein the at least one segment comprises at least one leaf-like element comprising a flat surface extending from the outer surface of the sidewall of the body, and
 wherein the at least one leaf-like element is configured to transition between a closed position for insertion of the nasal insert into the nasal cavity and an open position where the at least one leaf-like element leans against a septum or a concha(s) of the nasal cavity with a distal end of the at least one leaf-like element positioned proximate to region(s) of the nasal cavity.