Devices for therapeutic nasal neuromodulation and associated methods and systems

Abstract

Devices for therapeutic nasal neuromodulation and associated systems and methods are disclosed herein. A system for therapeutic neuromodulation in a nasal region configured in accordance with embodiments of the present technology can include, for example, a shaft and a therapeutic element at a distal portion of the shaft. The shaft can locate the distal portion intraluminally at a target site inferior to a patient's sphenopalatine foramen. The therapeutic element can include an energy delivery element configured to therapeutically modulate postganglionic parasympathetic nerves at microforamina of a palatine bone of the human patient for the treatment of rhinitis or other indications. In other embodiments, the therapeutic element can be configured to therapeutically modulate nerves that innervate the frontal, ethmoidal, sphenoidal, and maxillary sinuses for the treatment of chronic sinusitis.

1 .- 103 . (canceled) 
     
     
         104 . A device for treating a condition within a nasal cavity of a patient, the device comprising:
 a rigid shaft configured to be operably associated with a fluid reservoir;   a cryotherapy treatment element; and   a channel comprising a proximal portion that extends through the rigid shaft and that is operably associated with the fluid reservoir and a distal portion that extends beyond the rigid shaft and operably couples to the cryotherapy treatment element such that the channel provides a pathway through which a fluid may be delivered from the fluid reservoir to the cryotherapy treatment element, wherein the distal portion of the channel that extends beyond the rigid shaft is flexible such that cryotherapy treatment element is manipulateable in one or more directions.   
     
     
         105 . The device of  claim 104 , wherein the fluid comprises a refrigerant. 
     
     
         106 . The device of  claim 105 , wherein the cryotherapy treatment element is sized and configured to be advanced to a target site within a nasal cavity of a patient, wherein the target site is associated with one or more posterior nasal nerves and deliver cryotherapeutic cooling to the target site at a level sufficient to therapeutically modulate one or more posterior nasal nerves innervating nasal mucosa and minimize and/or prevent collateral damage to the lacrimal nerve to thereby avoid causing dry eye. 
     
     
         107 . The device of  claim 106 , wherein the cryotherapy treatment element is cooled to a temperature sufficient to cause therapeutically effective, cryogenic posterior nasal nerve modulation. 
     
     
         108 . The device of  claim 106 , wherein therapeutically modulating the one or more posterior nasal nerves innervating nasal mucosa is accomplished by ablating neural tissue. 
     
     
         109 . The device of  claim 108 , wherein the ablation is cryoablation. 
     
     
         110 . The device of  claim 106 , wherein delivering cryotherapeutic cooling to the target site comprises supplying the refrigerant from the fluid reservoir to the cryotherapy treatment element via the channel. 
     
     
         111 . The device of  claim 105 , wherein the refrigerant comprises a compressed or condensed gas that is stored in at least a substantially liquid phase. 
     
     
         112 . The device of  claim 111 , wherein the refrigerant comprises at least one of nitrous oxide (N2O), carbon dioxide (CO2), and hydrofluorocarbon. 
     
     
         113 . The device of  claim 104 , wherein the treatment device further comprises a controller operably coupled to the cryotherapeutic applicator. 
     
     
         114 . The device of  claim 113 , wherein the controller comprises a mechanism for controlling the supplying of refrigerant from the reservoir to the cryotherapy treatment element. 
     
     
         115 . The device of  claim 104 , wherein the cryotherapy treatment element comprises an expandable body. 
     
     
         116 . The device of  claim 115 , wherein the cryotherapy treatment element comprises a balloon. 
     
     
         117 . The device of  claim 104 , wherein the condition is selected from the group consisting of allergic rhinitis, non-allergic rhinitis, chronic rhinitis, acute rhinitis, chronic sinusitis, acute sinusitis, chronic rhinosinusitis, acute rhinosinusitis, and medical resistant rhinitis. 
     
     
         118 . The device of  claim 117 , wherein treatment of the condition is intended to address nasal congestion or obstruction.