Patent ID: 8858586

Claim:
A method for using a balloon that has a non-expanded configuration and an expanded configuration to dilate a natural paranasal sinus ostium that has not previously been surgically altered, the natural paranasal sinus ostium being formed by mucosa with unfractured bone underlying the mucosa, said method comprising the steps of: (A) advancing an elongate guide having a distal end and a lumen to a position within or near the natural paranasal sinus ostium (B) inserting a balloon catheter through the lumen of the elongate guide to position a balloon of the balloon catheter beyond the distal end of the guide and within the natural paranasal sinus ostium; (C) expanding the balloon within the natural paranasal sinus ostium sufficiently to break, remodel, or rearrange the bone underlying the mucosa of the ostium thereby enlarging the natural paranasal sinus ostium to an enlarged ostium; and (D) deflating the balloon, removing the balloon catheter from the enlarged ostium, and removing the elongate guide from near the ostium.