Patent ID: 8048023

Claim:
A nasal irrigation device comprising: a hand-held controller; a source of irrigant; an effluent receptacle; a nasal interface comprising first and second nozzles respectively mounted to first and second fluid conduits substantially within and extending from the controller, and spaced to simultaneously engage a first and a second nostril of an associated user, wherein the nasal interface is disposed below the source of irrigant and above the effluent receptacle for gravitational inducement of the irrigant from the source of irrigant, into the first nostril, around a posterior margin of the nasal septum, out of the second nostril, and into the effluent receptacle; a vacuum source for forming a relative vacuum in the effluent receptacle; a fluid passageway disposed to communicate a stream of the irrigant from the source to the effluent receptacle through the nasal interface upon sealing engagement of the nasal interface to the nostrils for forming a closed system, and upon urging of the irrigant from the source to the effluent receptacle by a combination of gravitational inducement and the relative vacuum; and a switch and valve assembly for selectively controlling the vacuum source and the stream of the irrigant through the fluid passageway, and wherein the vacuum source, the fluid passageway, the nasal interface and the switch and valve assembly are self-contained within the controller.