Patent ID: 9687288
Date: 2017-06-27
CPC Classifications: A61B,A61N

Claim:
1. A method for treating a tissue region within a nasal cavity, comprising: advancing a distal end of a surgical probe shaft through the nasal cavity and into proximity of the tissue region having at least one posterior nasal nerve; introducing a cryogenic fluid into an expandable structure coupled to the distal end of the probe shaft such that the expandable structure inflates from a deflated configuration into an expanded configuration against the tissue region, wherein the cryogenic fluid evaporates within the expandable structure; adjusting a position of a member relative to the tissue region, wherein the member is disposed at to the distal end of the probe shaft and extends within the expandable structure which encloses the member such that the member is unattached to an interior of the expandable structure; applying a pressure against the tissue region having the at least one posterior nasal nerve via the member pressing against the interior of the expandable structure, wherein the member defines an atraumatic shape which is sized for pressing against and manipulating the tissue region through the expandable structure; and maintaining the member against the interior of the expandable structure and the tissue region until the tissue region is cryogenically ablated.