Intra-tympanic injections of therapeutics into the inner ear can be used to treat conditions such as hearing loss. One or more stabilizing devices that define working channels can be temporarily implanted in the tympanic membrane. Purpose-built instruments such as endoscopes, forceps, and injections instruments can be passed through the working channels of the stabilizer devices to access the inner ear where the therapy can be administered. Afterwards, the stabilizing devices can be removed from the tympanic membrane and the tympanic membrane can heal, typically without the need for sutures.

A tympanostomy tube placement device has a stem with a needle having a tip configured to pierce a tympanic membrane. A retainer is on the needle and includes four fingers extending axially at a distance from said axis and at 90° circumferential separations in one example. The retainer is movable from a distal position at which it presses radially inwardly against the tube distal flange tabs to retain the distal flange in a folded position, to a proximal position at which the tube distal flange is free to spring out radially to a deployed position. The retainer fingers extend through tube proximal flange passageways and press the tube distal flange inwardly, while leaving a distally-facing face of the proximal flange exposed radially outwardly of the retainer. Hence, the proximal flange has its final deployed configuration throughout, and so can act as a physical stop member against the tympanic membrane and also provides visualisation for the surgeon because it extends radially outwardly of the stem.

A tympanoplatic patch applicator comprising: a handle disposed with a deployment control; a deployment stem comprising multiple nested sleeves connected to the handle; a patch configured to be affixed to the distal end of the deployment stem via an actuation filament embedded in the deployment stem; and a filament-based deployment system controllable by the deployment control, wherein the deployment stem is configured to position the patch at the internal side of a perforated tympanic membrane in the middle ear by introducing the patch into the ear canal and penetrating the perforated tympanic membrane with the distal end of the deployment stem, and wherein the filament-based deployment system is configured to release the patch from the distal end of the deployment stem, thereby deploying the patch on the internal side of the perforated tympanic membrane.

A guidewire includes a guidewire shaft and an inflatable element arranged at a distal end of the guidewire shaft. At least a portion of the guidewire shaft is formed of metal, and the guidewire shaft includes a lumen that fluidly communicates with an interior of the inflatable element. The inflatable element is operable to transition between a deflated state in which the inflatable element is configured to pass through an isthmus of a Eustachian tube (ET), and an inflated state in which the inflatable element is configured to dilate the ET.

The invention provides a pressure equalization or tympanostomy tube for draining and ventilating the middle ear. The tube comprises a short cylindrical body having a first planer extension or flange and a second planer extension or flange. The first flange being equipped with segments which may be trimmed to size to allow for in-theater sizing by a surgeon. In one embodiment, the tube includes a cylindrical bore and in another embodiment, the tube includes a square bore which includes a flap valve for regulating pressure in a patient's middle ear.

The present invention relates to a pressure-stabilized ear flushing device capable of being operated with one hand, comprising a spray bottle, a spray gun, a long rod for solution transition, and an adapter and a flushing head provided on the long rod. The flushing bottle is provided with a suction tube. The suction tube is connected with the spray gun. The spray gun and the spray bottle are threaded or snapped. The spray head on the spray gun is connected with a long rod. The end of the long rod is connected with a triangular flushing nozzle or an adapter. The other end of the adapter is connected with a hose flushing head. The device of the present invention improves the existing ear flusher, flushes earwax better, treats ears, and is capable of being operated with one hand, which is convenient for users and patients. The device is equipped with a variety of flushing heads, which is suitable for a wide range of people and is convenient and fast to operate.

Various systems and methods provide iontophoretic delivery of anesthesia at a patient's tympanic membrane. Some implementations provide channel switching enabling a single current sink to pull current through two electrodes in an alternating fashion based on clock pulses. The iontophoretic delivery of anesthesia may be driven by an AC modulated current. Some implementations provide for continuous flow of fresh iontophoresis fluid to the ear canal during iontophoresis. The fluid flows from a source reservoir into the cavity between the tympanic membrane and a plug, and then drains out of the cavity to a reservoir. An iontophoresis system may also detect capacitance between an anode electrode and an auxiliary electrode in a patient's ear canal, watching for reduced capacitance to indicate presence of a bubble in the iontophoresis fluid.

A dilation catheter includes a shaft and an expandable element. The shaft includes a proximal portion and a distal portion. The distal portion includes a tip and a bend. The tip is sized and configured to pass through an isthmus of a Eustachian tube (ET). The bend is proximal to the tip. The bend is formed at an angle configured to provide insertion of the tip into the isthmus of the ET via an ear canal associated with the ET. The expandable element is disposed at the distal portion of the shaft. The expandable element is configured to transition between a non-expanded state and an expanded state. The expandable element in the non-expanded state is configured for insertion into the ET via the isthmus. The expandable element in the expanded state is configured to dilate the ET.

Disclosed is a device for incision and insertion of a ventilation tube during myringotomy, comprising a cutter member configured to make an incision; a holder member configured to dispose the ventilation tube in an orientation in which a longitudinal axis of the ventilation tube is substantially perpendicular to the cutter member; and a pusher member configured to apply a pushing force to a first end of the ventilation tube in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the first end of the ventilation tube being disposed closer to the cutter member than a second end of the ventilation tube; wherein the holder member comprises a pivot element configured to releasably engage the second end of the ventilation tube such that the ventilation tube is pivotable under the pushing force applied to the first end of the ventilation tube by the pusher member, for insertion of the first end of the ventilation tube into the incision.

An instrument comprises a shaft assembly, a handpiece body, and a drive assembly. The shaft assembly comprises a plurality of coaxially arranged shafts and a tympanostomy tube. The shaft assembly further includes a flexible section. The shaft assembly extends distally from the handpiece body. The drive assembly is operable to drive the shafts of the shaft assembly in a predetermined sequence to deploy the tympanostomy tube. One or more of the shafts are configured to translate along the flexible section of the shaft assembly as a part of the predetermined sequence to deploy the tympanostomy tube.