Sinusitis, enlarged nasal turbinates, tumors, infections, hearing disorders, allergic conditions, facial fractures and other disorders of the ear, nose and throat are diagnosed and/or treated using minimally invasive approaches and, in many cases, flexible catheters as opposed to instruments having rigid shafts. Various diagnostic procedures and devices are used to perform imaging studies, mucus flow studies, air/gas flow studies, anatomic dimension studies, endoscopic studies and transillumination studies. Access and occluder devices may be used to establish fluid tight seals in the anterior or posterior nasal cavities/nasopharynx and to facilitate insertion of working devices (e.g., scopes, guidewires, catheters, tissue cutting or remodeling devices, electrosurgical devices, energy emitting devices, devices for injecting diagnostic or therapeutic agents, devices for implanting devices such as stents, substance eluting devices, substance delivery implants, etc.

A device for providing assistance in otologic surgery of a patient who is to be implanted with a cochlea implant. The device includes a mechanism for identifying the positions of an entry point (21) on the surface of the cochlea and of a control point (20) in the sinus tympani, and operable via the external auditory canal; a processor (100) to respond to the coordinates of the points to determine a straight-line path (T) passing through the two points and defining a docking point (22) on the outside surface of the mastoid bone; and a drilling mechanism (25, 27) for drilling a passage up to the cochlea through the mastoid bone along the straight-line path, so as to create a passage up to the cochlea.

Sinusitis, enlarged nasal turbinates, tumors, infections, hearing disorders, allergic conditions, facial fractures and other disorders of the ear, nose and throat are diagnosed and/or treated using minimally invasive approaches and, in many cases, flexible catheters as opposed to instruments having rigid shafts. Various diagnostic procedures and devices are used to perform imaging studies, mucus flow studies, air/gas flow studies, anatomic dimension studies, endoscopic studies and transillumination studies. Access and occluder devices may be used to establish fluid tight seals in the anterior or posterior nasal cavities/nasopharynx and to facilitate insertion of working devices (e.g., scopes, guidewires, catheters, tissue cutting or remodeling devices, electrosurgical devices, energy emitting devices, devices for injecting diagnostic or therapeutic agents, devices for implanting devices such as stents, substance eluting devices, substance delivery implants, etc.

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.

A dilation catheter includes a shaft, a distal tip sized and configured to pass through an isthmus of a Eustachian tube (ET), and an expandable element moveable along an exterior of the shaft between a proximal position and a distal position. The expandable element is operable to transition between an unexpanded state in which the expandable element is configured for insertion into the ET via the isthmus, and an expanded state in which the expandable element is configured to dilate the ET.

An apparatus includes a shaft, an expandable dilator, and at least one ventilation pathway. The shaft defines a longitudinal axis and includes a distal and proximal ends with at least one shaft lumen. The expandable dilator includes body with its own proximal and distal ends. The body is configured to transition between a contracted state and an expanded state. The body is configured to dilate a Eustachian tube of a patient in the expanded state. The at least one ventilation pathway is configured to provide ventilation from the distal end of the body to the proximal end of the body when the body is in the expanded state. In some examples, the ventilation pathway includes a set of transversely oriented vent openings formed through the shaft. In some other examples, the ventilation pathway includes a space defined between one or more radially outwardly protruding features of the expandable dilator.

An apparatus includes a shaft, an expandable dilator, and at least one ventilation pathway. The shaft defines a longitudinal axis and includes a distal and proximal ends with at least one shaft lumen. The expandable dilator includes body with its own proximal and distal ends. The body is configured to transition between a contracted state and an expanded state. The body is configured to dilate a Eustachian tube of a patient in the expanded state. The at least one ventilation pathway is configured to provide ventilation from the distal end of the body to the proximal end of the body when the body is in the expanded state. In some examples, the ventilation pathway includes a set of transversely oriented vent openings formed through the shaft. In some other examples, the ventilation pathway includes a space defined between one or more radially outwardly protruding features of the expandable dilator.

An exemplary method, comprising generating an inductance signal utilizing an external component held against skin of a recipient, and receiving the inductance signal via an implanted inductance coil implanted in the recipient, wherein a layer of skin is located between the inductance coil and a skull a recipient in which the inductance coil is implanted.

An exemplary method, comprising generating an inductance signal utilizing an external component held against skin of a recipient, and receiving the inductance signal via an implanted inductance coil implanted in the recipient, wherein a layer of skin is located between the inductance coil and a skull a recipient in which the inductance coil is implanted.

A system effectively narrows a patulous Eustachian tube (ET) of a patient with a guide catheter, instrument, and insert. The guide catheter includes a shaft, a lumen and a distal end configured to provide access the ET when the guide catheter is inserted into a head of the patient. The instrument comprises a shaft. The insert comprises a body configured to radially expand and retract between a non-expanded state and an expanded state. The insert is sized and shaped to be received within the first lumen when in the non-expanded state and is operable to expand to the expanded state to substantially reduce an effective diameter of the ET.