Acclarent公司开发出鼻窦炎治疗新方法

 
 
在2005年9月美国洛山矶举行的美国鼻腔学会年度会议上，介绍了一种叫做Balloon Sinuplasty的治疗鼻窦炎新方法。

传统的鼻窦手术需要去除骨骼和组织。而这种新方法，将一个小而柔软的气囊插入鼻窦通道，轻轻扩大鼻窦开口，迅速抽干鼻窦。一项包括10例患者的小型研究显示，该手术能够成功扩大所有患者的开口而不会导致并发症或者不良反应。术前和术后CT扫描、多角度内窥镜和大体检查都证实了该技术的安全性。一项临床研究正在进行之中。

 William Bolger医生是一位公认的鼻窦手术专家，他介绍了这种新的治疗方法，他说：“这种技术为慢性鼻窦炎患者提供了一项新的治疗选择。 过去我们就认识到保留粘膜（覆盖鼻窦的组织层）对治疗的远期效果是至关重要的。”

在内窥镜下将引导导管置入鼻腔之后，将细小的引导钢丝插入需要治疗的目标鼻窦。一旦到达鼻窦之后，在X线引导之下，将获得知识产权保护的Relieva气囊插入肿胀的鼻窦通道。然后扩张Relieva鼻窦气囊导管，轻轻地重建并扩展通道内壁，维持鼻窦的完整性，并迅速抽干收集到的鼻窦分泌物。

Relieva是由Acclarent公司(Menlo Park, CA, USA)研制开发的，该公司是眼、鼻和喉医疗设备的专业制造商。

New Treatment for Sinusitis
 
A new treatment for sinusitis, called Balloon Sinuplasty, was unveiled at the annual meeting of the American Rhinologic Society in Los Angeles (CA, USA) in September 2005.

Conventional sinus surgery involves bone and tissue removal. In the new procedure, a small flexible balloon is threaded through the sinus passageways, gently dilating the openings of the sinuses and allowing for immediate drainage. A pilot study of 10 patients showed the procedure successfully dilated the ostium in all patients with no complications or adverse effects. The comparison of pre- and post-computed tomography (CT) scans, multi-angled endoscopic views, and gross examination confirmed the safety of the technique. A new study is ongoing.

“This technology provides a novel treatment option for patients suffering from chronic sinusitis,” said Dr. William Bolger, MD, FACS, a recognized expert in sinus surgery who presented the new treatment. “Over the years we have realized that preserving the mucosa, the layer of tissue covering the sinuses, is very important for good long-term results.”

After placing a small guiding catheter into the nose under endoscopic vision, a small guidewire is introduced into the sinus targeted for therapy. Once the sinus is accessed, a proprietary balloon device called Relieva is introduced into the swollen sinus passageway under x-ray guidance. The Relieva sinus balloon catheter is then dilated, gently restructuring and widening the walls of the passageway, maintaining the integrity of the sinus lining and allowing for immediate drainage of trapped secretions.

Relieva was developed by Acclarent, Inc. (Menlo Park, CA, USA), a developer of medical devices for ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialists.