APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR ABLATING EUSTACHIAN TUBE

    公开(公告)号:US20210401479A1

    公开(公告)日:2021-12-30

    申请号:US17345031

    申请日:2021-06-11

    IPC分类号: A61B18/04 A61L29/08 A61L29/14

    摘要: An apparatus includes a shaft, a balloon, a tip member, and a heating feature. The tip member is distal to the balloon and has a larger outer diameter than the shaft. The heating feature is operable to ablate tissue of the Eustachian tube contacting the balloon in the expanded state. The heating feature may include an illuminating element and a photosensitive coating on the balloon. Alternatively, the heating feature may include a thermal heating element that heats the balloon inflation fluid and thereby heats the wall of the balloon. Another apparatus includes a shaft, a tip member, and an electrode assembly. The electrode assembly includes a plurality of electrodes positioned along the shaft near the distal end, proximal to the tip member. The electrodes are spaced apart from each other along a longitudinal axis and are operable to apply RF energy to tissue to thereby ablate the tissue.