Muscle stimulating device and method for diagnosing and treating a breathing disorder
First Claim
1. A muscle stimulator adapted to apply a magnetic field to at least one muscle group associated with an upper airway of a patient having a breathing disorder to induce tension in said muscle group to treat said breathing disorder, said muscle stimulator comprising:
- a plurality of loops of electrical wire;
a power supply that selectively provides electrical power to said plurality of loops to produce said magnetic field;
a sensor adapted to monitor a physiological characteristic of a patient;
a control unit that receives signals output by said sensor and controls application of said electrical power from said power supply to said plurality of loops of electrical wire based thereon; and
a positioning appliance adapted to secure said plurality of loops of electrical wire to a patient at a position relative to said at least one muscle group such that said magnetic field produced by applying said electrical power to said plurality of loops of electrical wire induces tension in said at least one muscle group to treat said breathing disorder.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A device and method for magnetic stimulation of muscles for the diagnosis and relief of a breathing disorder, such as obstructive sleep apnea. Magnetic stimulation is used to stimulate muscles which serve to stabilize the upper airway of an individual whose nocturnal apneic events are related to diminished muscle tone. A sensor monitors a physiologic characteristic of the patient, a coil is energized to stimulate the appropriate muscles associated with the upper airway, a power supply provides power for energizing the coil, and a control system controls the application of power to the coil based on the output of the sensor. Diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea is accomplished by measuring the subject'"'"'s compliance in the presence and absence of the magnetic stimulation of the upper airway muscles. The smaller the difference between these two compliance levels, the more likely that patient suffers from obstructive sleep apnea.
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Citations
38 Claims
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1. A muscle stimulator adapted to apply a magnetic field to at least one muscle group associated with an upper airway of a patient having a breathing disorder to induce tension in said muscle group to treat said breathing disorder, said muscle stimulator comprising:
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a plurality of loops of electrical wire;
a power supply that selectively provides electrical power to said plurality of loops to produce said magnetic field;
a sensor adapted to monitor a physiological characteristic of a patient;
a control unit that receives signals output by said sensor and controls application of said electrical power from said power supply to said plurality of loops of electrical wire based thereon; and
a positioning appliance adapted to secure said plurality of loops of electrical wire to a patient at a position relative to said at least one muscle group such that said magnetic field produced by applying said electrical power to said plurality of loops of electrical wire induces tension in said at least one muscle group to treat said breathing disorder. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A muscle stimulator adapted to apply a magnetic field to at least one muscle group associated with an upper airway of a patient having a breathing disorder to induce tension in said muscle group to treat said breathing disorder, said muscle stimulator comprising:
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a plurality of loops of electrical wire;
means for supplying electrical power to said plurality of loops of electrical wire to produce said magnetic field;
means for monitoring a physiological characteristic of a patient;
means, receiving signals output by said first sensing means, for controlling said electrical power provided to said plurality of loops based thereon; and
means for maintaining said plurality of loops of electrical wire at a position relative to a patient so as to direct said magnetic field produced by said plurality of loops at said at least one muscle group to induce tension in said at least one muscle group to treat said breathing disorder.
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31. A method of applying a magnetic field to at least one muscle group associated with an upper airway of a patient having a breathing disorder induce tension in said muscle group to treat said breathing disorder, said muscle stimulator comprising:
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affixing a plurality of loops of electrical wire proximate to said at least one muscle group;
monitoring a physiological characteristic of a patient;
providing electrical power to said plurality of loops of electrical wire to produce said magnetic field based on said monitored physiological characteristic, thereby inducing tension in said at least one muscle group to treat said breathing disorder. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A system for diagnosing the likelihood that a subject suffers from obstructive sleep apnea, comprising:
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a compliance measuring system adapted to measure a compliance level of said subject;
a magnetic stimulator adapted to magnetically stimulate at least one muscle group associated with an upper airway of said subject;
means for causing said compliance measuring system to measure a first compliance level of said subject in an absence of magnetic stimulation and to measure a second compliance level of said subject while said magnetic stimulation is being applied to said least one muscle group associated with said upper airway; and
means for comparing said first compliance level to said second compliance level to determine a difference therebetween, whereby the smaller said difference between said first and said second compliance level, the more likely said subject is likely to suffer from obstructive sleep apnea.
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38. A method of diagnosing the likelihood that a subject suffers from obstructive sleep apnea, comprising the steps of:
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measuring a compliance of said subject to obtain a first compliance level;
applying a magnetic field to at least one muscle group associated with an upper airway of said subject;
measuring said compliance of said subject while applying said magnetic field to at least one muscle group associated with an upper airway to obtain a second compliance level; and
comparing said first compliance level to said second compliance level to determine a difference therebetween, whereby the smaller the difference between said first and said second compliance level, the more likely said subject is likely to suffer from obstructive sleep apnea.
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Specification