Methods and devices for treating sleep apnea and snoring
First Claim
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1. A method for treatment of a breathing disorder caused by a deformation of a tongue curve, the method comprising:
- inserting a shaft of a tissue retractor through a mucosal covering of and into the tongue curve along a midline of a patient'"'"'s tongue;
positioning a retractor member of the tissue retractor on the mucosal covering of the tongue curve along the midline of the patient'"'"'s tongue, the retractor member located at or near a first end of the shaft; and
positioning an anchor member, connected to a second end of the shaft, on a mucosal covering that is the frenulum of the patient'"'"'s tongue, such that the anchor member is positioned along the midline of the patient'"'"'s tongue, the shaft between the retractor member and the anchor member such that the retractor member and the anchor member are on opposite sides of the patient'"'"'s tongue.
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Abstract
Methods and devices to prevent and/or treat breathing disorders (e.g., upper airway disorders) in mammals related to impaired airflow are described. Methods and devices apply force to soft tissue that avoids obstruction of airflow in the mammel'"'"'s airway. Breathing disorders that are avoided by the methods and/or devices include apnea.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A method for treatment of a breathing disorder caused by a deformation of a tongue curve, the method comprising:
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inserting a shaft of a tissue retractor through a mucosal covering of and into the tongue curve along a midline of a patient'"'"'s tongue; positioning a retractor member of the tissue retractor on the mucosal covering of the tongue curve along the midline of the patient'"'"'s tongue, the retractor member located at or near a first end of the shaft; and positioning an anchor member, connected to a second end of the shaft, on a mucosal covering that is the frenulum of the patient'"'"'s tongue, such that the anchor member is positioned along the midline of the patient'"'"'s tongue, the shaft between the retractor member and the anchor member such that the retractor member and the anchor member are on opposite sides of the patient'"'"'s tongue. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for treatment of a breathing disorder caused by a deformation of a tongue base, the method comprising:
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inserting a shaft of a tissue retractor through a mucosal covering of and into the tongue base along a midline of a patient'"'"'s tongue; positioning a retractor member of the tissue retractor on the mucosal covering of the tongue base along the midline of the patient'"'"'s tongue, the retractor member located at or near a first end of the shaft; and positioning an anchor member, connected to a second end of the shaft, on a mucosal covering that is the frenulum of the patient'"'"'s tongue, such that the anchor member is positioned along the midline of the patient'"'"'s tongue, the shaft between the retractor member and the anchor member such that the retractor member and the anchor member are on opposite sides of the patient'"'"'s tongue.
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Specification