System and method for preventing closure of passageways

• US 20040112390A1
• Filed: 10/06/2003
• Published: 06/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pavad Medical, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Pavad Medical, Inc.
• Inventors: Brooks, Stephen Nelson, Black, Jed E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,107,992 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/863
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/009 magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/566 Intra-oral devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2/004 specially adapted for a specific therapy
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2/06 using magnetic fields produced by permanent magnets A61N2/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 602/902 Antisnoring or mouth closing devices

Abstract

A system for treating sleep-related breathing disorders. In one embodiment, the system includes a first magnetically susceptible material attached to a left lateral pharyngeal wall and a second magnetically susceptible material attached to a right lateral pharyngeal wall. The second magnetically susceptible material is positioned opposite the first magnetically susceptible material across an upper airway. The system further includes a first magnet disposed outside the body and lateral to the first magnetically susceptible material, and a second magnet disposed outside the body and lateral to the second magnetically susceptible material.

Claims

1. A system for treating sleep-related breathing disorders, comprising:

a first magnet attached to a left lateral pharyngeal wall; and

a second magnet attached to a right lateral pharyngeal wall, wherein the second magnet is positioned opposite the first magnet across an upper airway.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first and second magnets are implanted inside the lateral pharyngeal walls.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the magnetic field of the second magnet interacts with the magnetic field of the first magnet such that one of the first magnet repels the second magnet and the second magnet repels the first magnet, thereby maintaining a distance between the lateral pharyngeal walls adequate to treat sleep-related breathing disorders.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first magnet and the second magnet are attached to the left and right lateral pharyngeal walls by one of surgical sutures, a bonding material and coating.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a third magnet attached to an anterior pharyngeal wall; and

a fourth magnet attached to a posterior pharyngeal wall, wherein the third magnet is positioned opposite the fourth magnet across the upper airway.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the third magnet is attached to one of a soft palate, uvula and tongue.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the magnetic field of the third magnet interacts with the magnetic field of the fourth magnet such that the third magnet repels the fourth magnet, thereby maintaining a distance between the anterior and posterior pharyngeal walls adequate to treat sleep-related breathing disorders.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the first magnet is attached to the left lateral pharyngeal wall, the second magnet is attached to the right lateral pharyngeal wall, the third magnet is attached to the anterior pharyngeal wall and the fourth magnet is attached to the posterior pharyngeal wall by one of surgical sutures, a bonding material and coating.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a third magnet disposed outside the body and lateral to the first magnet; and

a fourth magnet disposed outside the body and lateral to the second magnet.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the magnetic field of the third magnet interacts with the magnetic field of the first magnet such that the first magnet is attracted toward the third magnet.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the magnetic field of the fourth magnet interacts with the magnetic field of the second magnet such that the second magnet is attracted toward the fourth magnet.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the magnetic field of the third magnet interacts with the magnetic field of the first magnet such that the first magnet is attracted toward the third magnet;

and wherein the magnetic field of the fourth magnet interacts with the magnetic field of the second magnet such that the second magnet is attracted toward the fourth magnet.

13. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a third magnet implanted under the skin lateral to the first magnet; and

a fourth magnet implanted under the skin lateral to the second magnet.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the first and second magnets are one of permanent and variable magnets.

15. A system for treating sleep-related breathing disorders, comprising:

a first magnetically susceptible material attached to a left lateral pharyngeal wall;

a second magnetically susceptible material attached to a right lateral pharyngeal wall, wherein the second magnetically susceptible material is positioned opposite the first magnetically susceptible material across an upper airway;

a first magnet disposed outside the body and lateral to the first magnetically susceptible material; and

a second magnet disposed outside the body and lateral to the second magnetically susceptible material.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the magnetic field of the first magnet attracts the first magnetically susceptible material toward the first magnet, and wherein the magnetic field of the second magnet attracts the second magnetically susceptible material toward the second magnet.

17. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

a third magnetically susceptible material attached to an anterior pharyngeal wall; and

a third magnet disposed outside the body and anterior to the third magnetically susceptible material.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the magnetic field of the third magnet attracts the third magnetically susceptible material toward the third magnet.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the first magnetically susceptible material is attached to the left lateral pharyngeal wall, the second magnetically susceptible material is attached to the right lateral pharyngeal wall, and the third magnetically susceptible material is attached to the anterior pharyngeal wall by one of surgical sutures, a bonding material and coating.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the third magnetically susceptible material is attached to one of a soft palate, uvula and tongue.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein the first magnet, the second magnet and the third magnet are each placed on a skin surface.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein the first magnet, the second magnet and the third magnet are each implanted under a skin surface.

23. The system of claim 17, wherein the third magnet is disposed within a nasal cavity.

24. The system of claim 15, wherein the first magnetically susceptible material is implanted in the left lateral pharyngeal wall and the second magnetically susceptible material is implanted in the right lateral pharyngeal wall.

25. The system of claim 15, wherein the first and second magnets are one of permanent and variable magnets.

26. A system for preventing sleep apnea and other sleep-related breathing disorders, comprising:

a first magnet attached to a left lateral pharyngeal wall;

a second magnet attached to a right lateral pharyngeal wall, wherein the second magnet is positioned opposite the first magnet across an upper airway;

a third magnet disposed inside the upper airway directly across from the first magnet; and

a fourth magnet disposed inside the upper airway directly across from the second magnet.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the third magnet generates a magnetic field that repels the first magnet away from the third magnet, and wherein the fourth magnet generates a magnetic field that repels the second magnet away from the fourth magnet.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein the third and fourth magnets are attached to a removable apparatus to hold the third and fourth magnets inside the upper airway.

29. A method for treating sleep-related breathing disorders, comprising:

attaching a first magnet to a left lateral pharyngeal wall; and

attaching a second magnet to a right lateral pharyngeal wall opposite the first magnet across an upper airway.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising repelling the first magnet from the second magnet by virtue of the magnetic forces generated by the first and second magnets.

31. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

attaching a third magnet to an anterior pharyngeal wall; and

attaching a fourth magnet to a posterior pharyngeal wall opposite the third magnet across the upper airway.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising moving the third magnet and the fourth magnet away from each other by virtue of magnetic forces generated by the third magnet and the fourth magnet.

33. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

disposing a third magnet outside the body and lateral to the first magnet; and

disposing a fourth magnet outside the body and lateral to the second magnet.

34. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

attracting the first magnet toward the third magnet; and

attracting the second magnet toward the fourth magnet.

35. A method for treating sleep-related breathing disorders, comprising:

attaching a first magnetically susceptible material to a left lateral pharyngeal wall;

attaching a second magnetically susceptible material to a right lateral pharyngeal wall opposite the first magnetically susceptible material across an upper airway;

disposing a first magnet outside the body and lateral to the first magnetically susceptible material; and

disposing a second magnet outside the body and lateral to the second magnetically susceptible material.

36. The method of claim 35, further comprising:

attracting the first magnetically susceptible material toward the first magnet; and

attracting the second magnetically susceptible material toward the second magnet.

37. The method of claim 35, further comprising:

attaching a third magnetically susceptible material to an anterior pharyngeal wall; and

disposing a third magnet outside the body and lateral to the third magnetically susceptible material.

38. The method of claim 37, further comprising attracting the third magnetically susceptible material toward the third magnet.

39. A method for treating sleep-related breathing disorders, comprising:

attaching a first magnet to a left lateral pharyngeal wall;

attaching a second magnet to a right lateral pharyngeal wall opposite the first magnet across an upper airway;

disposing a third magnet inside the upper airway directly across from the first magnet; and

disposing a fourth magnet inside the upper airway directly across from the second magnet.

40. The method of claim 39, further comprising:

repelling the first magnet away from the third magnet; and

repelling the second magnet away from the fourth magnet.