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.

A balloon is provided for insertion into a mammalian eustachian tube. The balloon is a high pressure balloon having a body including a proximal end, a distal end, an exterior surface and an interior surface defining an air receivable interior. The body having a plurality of segments of different cross sectional areas, and a non-circular cross sectional profile. The balloon is inflatable between a deflated configuration and an inflated configuration. The body is sufficiently inelastic so as to be substantially incapable of expanding beyond a pre-determined size and shape when in the inflated configuration. The segments include a first segment having a first cross sectional area and a second segment disposed distally of the first segment The second segment has a second cross sectional area larger than the first cross sectional area.

Systems and methods can be employed for trans-tympanic membrane access to the middle ear for delivery of a formulation or implant device to a target location under direct visualization. The systems and methods can also be used to improve accessibility and visualization for various otological surgical procedures, such as, but not limited to, cholesteatoma removal, tympanic membrane repair and ossicular chain repair.

Systems and methods can be employed for trans-tympanic membrane access to the middle ear for delivery of a formulation or implant device to a target location under direct visualization. The systems and methods can also be used to improve accessibility and visualization for various otological surgical procedures, such as, but not limited to, cholesteatoma removal, tympanic membrane repair and ossicular chain repair.

An apparatus includes a handle assembly, a guide tube, and a dilation catheter. The guide tube extends distally from the handle assembly. At least a distal portion of the guide tube is malleable. The dilation catheter is slidably positioned in the guide tube. The dilation catheter includes a distal end, a dilator, and a position sensor. The position sensor is configured to generate a signal indicating a position of the position sensor in three-dimensional space. The dilation catheter is configured to translate relative to the guide tube.

An apparatus includes a handle assembly, a guide tube, and a dilation catheter. The guide tube extends distally from the handle assembly. At least a distal portion of the guide tube is malleable. The dilation catheter is slidably positioned in the guide tube. The dilation catheter includes a distal end, a dilator, and a position sensor. The position sensor is configured to generate a signal indicating a position of the position sensor in three-dimensional space. The dilation catheter is configured to translate relative to the guide tube.

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.

A method of treating a patulous Eustachian tube includes forming a first pocket in a wall of a nasopharynx region proximate to a pharyngeal ostium, inserting a resiliently biased implant within the first pocket, and allowing the resiliently biased implant to expand within the first pocket to thereby urge the Eustachian tube towards a closed state. The wire implant may include a resilient stent or other resilient wire structure. In some versions, a deployment device having a balloon is used to deploy a malleable implant. This deployment device has a malleable implant disposed around the balloon, which is disposed around a guide catheter. The balloon is inflated and expands the malleable implant. The malleable implant retains the expanded shape and urges the Eustachian tube toward a closed state.

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 visualizing and providing suction for a surgical procedure in an ear may include a handle, a main shaft extending from the handle, an imaging sensor at a distal end of the main shaft, a light source at the distal end of the main shaft, and a suction shaft extending from the handle. The device may also include a spring coupled with the suction shaft and/or the handle, such that when the suction shaft is advanced in a distal direction and then released, the suction shaft retracts automatically. The suction shaft may have a distal curved portion, and the device may have a thumb depress portion that allows a user to spin the suction shaft to suction in different directions. Some embodiments may include a suction shaft with a sharp distal tip that is configured for placing an ear tube in the tympanic membrane.