Patent ID: 11883618
Assignee: ACCLARENT, INC.
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A  B | IPC A  B

Claim 16:
17. A method, comprising:
(a) using a dilation catheter to dilate a Eustachian tube of a patient;
(b) inserting a distal end of the dilation catheter into a cutting instrument after using the dilation catheter to dilate the Eustachian tube of the patient, the cutting instrument including:
(i) a base housing, the base housing defining a distally oriented tip receiving recess,
(ii) an actuator movably coupled with the base housing, and
(iii) a blade secured to the actuator;

(c) actuating the actuator to thereby drive the blade to sever a distal tip from the dilation catheter;
(d) removing the distal end of the dilation catheter from the cutting instrument; and
(e) using the dilation catheter to dilate a passageway associated with drainage of a paranasal sinus of the patient after the act of removing.