PRESSURE RELIEF FOR A CATHETER BALLOON DEVICE

Abstract

A method of limiting an inflation system pressure for dilating a region of a patient’s nasal sinus passageways. The method includes grasping an inflation device. The inflation device includes a syringe including a plunger slidably disposed within a barrel, a connector for fluidly connecting an outlet of the syringe with a surgical instrument balloon, and a mechanical pressure indicator associated with the syringe, the mechanical pressure indicator including a housing and an indicator body disposed within the housing. The method also includes delivering the surgical instrument balloon to a patient’s paranasal sinus target area, operating the plunger within the barrel of the syringe to deliver pressurized fluid to the surgical instrument balloon, and transitioning the indicator body to extend outside of the housing when a predetermined inflation pressure of the surgical instrument balloon is reached.

Description

Claims

1-20. (canceled)

21. A plunger for selectively inflating a balloon of a surgical instrument, the plunger comprising: a shaft configured for slidable insertion within a barrel of an inflation device of surgical instrument, the barrel extending from a proximal end configured to receive the shaft to a distal end configured to dispense an inflation fluid therefrom, the shaft including: a head disposed at a distal end of the shaft, the head retained in sealed relation with an inner peripheral surface of the barrel;a proximal end operably coupled to a push handle, the push handle engageable by a user to force the shaft into the barrel and, in turn, force the inflation fluid out the distal end under pressure; anda trailing region adjacent the proximal end, the trailing end having an outer diameter greater than a diameter of the remainder of the shaft to prevent over-insertion of the shaft within the barrel;a connector coupling the distal end of the barrel with a surgical instrument balloon to establish a closed inflation system between the plunger and an interior of the balloon; anda mechanical pressure indicator including a housing and an indicator body disposed within the housing, the indicator body configured to transition from a non-alert state to an alert state when a pressure of the closed inflation system has reached a predetermined level.

22. The plunger according to claim 21, wherein the indicator body extends outside of the housing in the alert state.

23. The plunger according to claim 21, further comprising a relief port associated with the mechanical pressure indicator and configured to relieve a pressure of the closed inflation system when the pressure of the closed inflation system at least reaches the predetermined level.

24. The plunger according to claim 21, further comprising a cover that is assembled to the connector, the barrel, and the housing of the mechanical pressure indicator.

25. The plunger according to claim 21, wherein the housing of the mechanical pressure indicator includes a cavity defined therein and the indicator body is slidably disposed within the cavity, and wherein the cavity is divided into a first portion and a second portion by a seal on the indicator body.

26. The plunger according to claim 25, wherein the first portion of the cavity is fluidly open to the connector at a fluid port.

27. The plunger according to claim 25, wherein the seal is biased toward a first end of the housing with a biasing mechanism.

28. The plunger according to claim 27, wherein the mechanical pressure indicator transitions to the alert state when a pressure acting upon a head of the indicator body within the housing overcomes a force of the biasing mechanism.

29. The plunger according to claim 21, wherein the push handle includes a contoured face to facilitate engagement with push handle.

30. The plunger according to claim 21, wherein the push handle is integrally formed with the proximal end of the plunger.

31. The plunger according to claim 21, wherein the head of the shaft is operably associated with or is made from an O-ring or rubber membrane to maintain seal integrity with the inner peripheral surface of the barrel.

32. The plunger according to claim 21, wherein the connector is a Y-connector defining first and second inlet tubes and an exit tube which connects to the surgical instrument balloon.