Sinuplasty tool

Abstract

A sinuplasty tool, consisting of a handle, and a rigid tube, containing a rigid tube lumen, having a rigid tube distal end and a rigid tube proximal end connected to the handle. The tool also has a resilient tube, containing a resilient tube lumen, having a resilient tube distal end and a resilient tube proximal end fixed to the rigid tube distal end so that the lumens align. The resilient tube has a multiplicity of separated openings partially encircling the resilient tube so as to form ribs in the resilient tube and permitting the resilient tube to bend. The resilient tube distal end may be inserted into a sinus of a living subject. The tool also has a wire, traversing the aligned lumens, connected to the resilient tube distal end and coupled to the handle, so that applying tension to the wire causes the resilient tube to bend.

1 - 40 . (canceled) 
     
     
         41 . An instrument, comprising:
 (a) a rigid tube having a rigid tube distal end and a rigid tube proximal end, the rigid tube containing a rigid tube lumen;   (b) a flexible tube having a flexible tube distal end and a flexible tube proximal end, the flexible tube distal end being configured to be inserted into an orifice of a body of a living subject, the flexible tube containing a flexible tube lumen, the flexible tube being fixedly attached relative to the rigid tube distal end so that the rigid tube lumen and the flexible tube lumen align;   (c) a strip positioned in the aligned lumens, the strip comprising at least one protrusion projecting transversely from a distal region of the strip; and   (d) an actuator configured to drive deformation of the flexible tube.   
     
     
         42 . The instrument of  claim 41 , the strip being configured to partition a first portion of the flexible tube lumen from a second portion of the flexible tube lumen. 
     
     
         43 . The instrument of  claim 42 , the first portion of the flexible tube lumen forming a working channel configured to accept a portion of a surgical tool. 
     
     
         44 . The instrument of  claim 42 , further comprising an imaging device positioned in the second portion of the flexible tube lumen. 
     
     
         45 . The instrument of  claim 44 , further comprising at least one illumination source, the at least one illumination source being positioned laterally relative to the imaging device within the second portion of the flexible tube lumen. 
     
     
         46 . The instrument of  claim 41 , the instrument defining a gap between the strip and the flexible tube. 
     
     
         47 . The instrument of  claim 42 , at least one position sensor being secured within the second portion of the flexible tube lumen. 
     
     
         48 . The instrument of  claim 41 , at least one position sensor being secured to the strip. 
     
     
         49 . The instrument of  claim 41 , the flexible tube defining a multiplicity of openings partially encircling the flexible tube so as to form separating ribs in the flexible tube, the openings permitting the flexible tube to bend. 
     
     
         50 . The instrument of  claim 41 , the strip defining an opening. 
     
     
         51 . The instrument of  claim 50 , further comprising a camera secured to the strip via the opening. 
     
     
         52 . An instrument, comprising:
 (a) a rigid tube having a rigid tube distal end and a rigid tube proximal end, the rigid tube containing a rigid tube lumen;   (b) a flexible tube having a flexible tube distal end and a flexible tube proximal end, the flexible tube distal end being configured to be inserted into an orifice of a body of a living subject, the flexible tube containing a flexible tube lumen, the flexible tube being fixedly attached relative to the rigid tube distal end so that the rigid tube lumen and the flexible tube lumen align;   (c) a strip positioned in the aligned lumens, the strip being configured to partition a first portion of the flexible tube lumen from a second portion of the flexible tube lumen, a first component being fixedly secured to the strip within the first portion of the flexible tube lumen, a second component being fixedly secured to the strip within the second portion of the flexible tube lumen; and   (d) an actuator configured to drive a deformation of the flexible tube.   
     
     
         53 . The instrument of  claim 52 , the strip comprising at least one protrusion projecting transversely from a distal region of the strip. 
     
     
         54 . The instrument of  claim 52 , the first portion of the flexible tube lumen forming a working channel configured to accept a portion of a surgical tool, the second component being a camera. 
     
     
         55 . The instrument of  claim 52 , further comprising a position sensor secured to the strip. 
     
     
         56 . The instrument of  claim 52 , the instrument defining a central plane, the second component comprising a camera positioned along the central plane, the instrument further comprising an irrigation channel positioned lateral to the camera about the central plane and an illumination source positioned lateral to the irrigation channel about the central plane. 
     
     
         57 . The instrument of  claim 56 , the first component being configured to determine a distance between a distal end of the instrument and a target anatomical structure of the body of the living subject. 
     
     
         58 . The instrument of  claim 52 , the flexible tube being resilient such that the flexible tube is resiliently biased from a curved configuration toward a straight configuration. 
     
     
         59 . An instrument, comprising:
 (a) a rigid tube having a rigid tube distal end and a rigid tube proximal end, the rigid tube containing a rigid tube lumen;   (b) a resilient tube having a resilient tube distal end and a resilient tube proximal end, the resilient tube distal end being configured to be inserted into an orifice of a body of a living subject, the resilient tube containing a resilient tube lumen, the resilient tube being fixedly attached relative to the rigid tube distal end so that the rigid tube lumen and the resilient tube lumen align;   (c) a strip disposed in the aligned lumens and defining a central plane, the strip being configured to partition a first portion of the resilient tube lumen from a second portion of the resilient tube lumen, the strip comprising at a set of protrusions projecting transversely from a distal region of the strip, each protrusion of the set of protrusions being positioned on opposing sides of the instrument relative to the central plane; and   (d) an actuator configured to drive a deformation of the flexible tube.   
     
     
         60 . The instrument of  claim 59 , a distal-most edge of the instrument including a recess, the recess extending proximally relative to a remaining portion of the distal-most edge.