Ultrasound Guided Balloon Dilator (UGBD)

Reference #:

2008-037

Inventors/Contributors

Darryl E. Barnes, M.D., Jay Smith, M.D.

Description

The UGBD is a versatile medical device utilized to percutaneously dilate soft tissue regions in the body. Direct clinical applications include, but are not limited to: 1. Relief of stenosis - Various clinical conditions are caused or exacerbated by stenosis, a narrowing of space in which tendons, nerves, or other sensitive soft tissue structures lie. This constriction leads to inflammation, pain, and clinical symptoms. The UGBD is passed into an areas of scar, adhesion or other source of soft tissue constriction. Either in isolation or in conjunction with other procedures, the UGBD is expanded to disrupt scar tissue, adhesions, and otherwise relieve symptomatic stenosis. Common clinical conditions include, but are not limited to, stenosing tenosynovitis (including the specific category of trigger finger), and entrapment neuropathy (including the specific category of carpal tunnel syndrome). 2. Provision of working space for other US guided interventions  As percutaneous ultrasound guided procedures continue to advance, situations arise in which creation of a "working space" for a percutaneous procedure is necessary to execute the procedure with an acceptable margin of safety. The UGBD can be passed into the region and expanded to create a working space for other procedures. Potential clinical applications include, but are not limited to, carpal tunnel release, trigger finger release, guided injection or aspiration, and delivery of therapeutic agents.

Patent Status

None