Acclarent, Inc.

A method is used to manufacture a surgical instrument including a first tube, and a second tube. The first tube extends from a proximal first end portion to a distal first end portion. The second tube extends from a proximal second end portion to a distal second end portion. The second tube is positioned coaxially within the first tube with the distal second end portion positioned adjacent to the distal first end portion. The second tube defines a lumen. The sensor is secured proximal to the distal second end portion of the second tube. A die is engaged against a distal first end portion of the first tube while first tube rotates about its own longitudinal axis; and the die is simultaneously moved relative to the distal first end portion of the first tube along a predetermined path to form a predetermined shape.

A surgical instrument and related method includes an instrument body, a guide shaft distally projecting from the instrument body, and a first surgical tool. The guide shaft has a guide sidewall, a guide lumen, and a clearance opening radially extending through the guide sidewall in communication with the guide lumen. The first surgical tool has an elongate body and a distal head configured to deflect relative to the elongate body from a first position to a second position. The distal head in the first position is positioned within the guide lumen along the central axis. The distal head in the second position is deflected from the central axis and extends at least partially through the clearance opening thereby vacating at least a portion of the guide lumen for introducing a second surgical tool through the guide lumen.

An apparatus includes a body, a shaft assembly, and a visualization assembly. The body includes first and second actuators. The shaft assembly extends distally from the body and includes a rigid proximal portion and a steerable distal portion. The steerable distal portion is positioned distally relative to the rigid proximal portion. The first actuator is operable to drive the steerable distal portion to deflect laterally relative to a longitudinal axis defined by the rigid proximal portion. The steerable distal portion is configured to fit within a nasal cavity of a patient. The visualization assembly is disposed within the shaft assembly. The visualization assembly includes a camera. The second actuator is operable to drive longitudinal translation of the visualization assembly relative to the shaft assembly.

Tools used within a surgical area may be equipped with sensors that allow them to be tracked within the magnetic field of an image guided surgery (IGS) system. The IGS system may be configured to detect various movement patterns of the tools, which may be mapped to and associated with corresponding actions or inputs to the IGS system. In one example, a registration probe may be moved along the x-axis and y-axis, with detected movements identified and received by the IGS system as movements of a mouse cursor on a display of the IGS system. In another example, the registration probe may be moved in a circular pattern, or quickly moved along any of the x-axis, y-axis, or z-axis, with each being configured to cause the IGS system to zoom a display, change a view, record video, or other actions.

An apparatus includes a base housing, an actuator, and a blade. The base housing defines an upwardly presented support surface. The base housing also defines a distally oriented tip receiving recess. The distally oriented tip receiving recess is sized and configured to receive a bulbous distal tip of a dilation catheter. The actuator is movably coupled with the base housing. The blade us secured to the actuator. The actuator is operable to move the blade downwardly relative to the base housing. The blade is configured to sever a portion of a dilation catheter along a plane longitudinally interposed between the support surface and the tip receiving recess to thereby sever the bulbous distal tip of the dilation catheter in response to movement of the actuator relative to the base housing.

An apparatus includes a bod, an actuation assembly, and a guide catheter extending distally from the body. The guide catheter includes an open proximal end, an open distal end, a rigid proximal portion, a bendable distal portion, and a pull wire extending from the bendable distal portion to the rigid proximal portion. A proximal end of the pull wire is coupled with the actuation assembly. The actuation assembly is operable to translate the pull wire relative to the rigid proximal portion to thereby articulate the bendable distal portion.

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 surgical instrument for cutting a first tissue and detecting a second tissue includes a shaft, a cutting member, and a tissue monitor system. The shaft extends along a longitudinal axis and includes a shaft lumen and a shaft opening. The cutting member is disposed within the shaft lumen and configured to cyclically move from a first position to a second position relative to the shaft. The cutting member is further configured to cut a tissue portion of the first tissue for removal therefrom. The tissue monitor system is associated with at least one of the shaft or the cutting member configured to detect the second tissue distinct from the first tissue for selectively cutting and removing the first tissue relative to the second tissue.

A dilation instrument can be configured to provide real-time tracking of components of the instrument during a surgical procedure, such as by providing real-time tracking of respective positions of the components during the procedure. The dilation instrument can include a body, a shaft assembly, a guide element, a working element, and a movement tracking feature. The guide element can translate relative to the body and have a position sensor that can provide a signal indicating a position of the guide element in three-dimensional space. The working element can translate relative to the body and the guide element. The movement tracking feature can generate a signal indicating movement of the working element relative to the body and/or the guide element.