Airway implant sensors and methods of making and using the same

• US 20060185680A1
• Filed: 02/15/2006
• Published: 08/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pavad Medical, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Pavad Medical, Inc.
• Inventors: Choi, George Yoseung, Hegde, Anant V., Bhat, Nikhil D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,882,842 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/848
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0031 Implanted circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1076 for measuring dimensions inside body cavities, e.g. using catheters A61B3/1005 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4818 Sleep apnoea
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 7/00 Orthodontics, i.e. obtaining or maintaining the desired position of teeth, e.g. by straightening, evening, regulating, separating, or by correcting malocclusions
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/00 Filters implantable into blood vessels; Prostheses, i.e. artificial substitutes or replacements for parts of the body; Appliances for connecting them with the body; Devices providing patency to, or preventing collapsing of, tubular structures of the body, e.g. stents as cosmetic articles, see the relevant subclasses, e.g. wigs, hair pieces, A41G3/00, A41G5/00; artificial nails A45D31/00; dental prostheses A61C13/00; materials for prostheses A61L27/00; artificial hearts A61M60/00; artificial kidneys A61M1/14
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/56 Devices for preventing snoring by influencing the respiratory system by gas treatment A61M16/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/566 Intra-oral devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0519 Endotracheal electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0546 Nasal electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0548 Oral electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3601 of respiratory organs

Abstract

An airway implant device for maintaining and/or creating an opening in air passageways is disclosed. Methods of using the device are also disclosed. The airway implant device comprises a deformable element to control the opening of an air passageway. Preferably the deformable element is an electroactive polymer element. Energizing of the electroactive polymer element provides support for the walls of an air passageway, when the walls collapse, and thus, completely or partially opens the air passageway. Some embodiments of the invention include a sensor capable of sensing the possible occurrence of an apneic event and activating the deformable element of the airway implant device. Methods of treating airway disorders such as sleep apnea and snoring with the airway implant device are disclosed herein.

Claims

1. An airway implant device comprising a deformable element and a sensor element, wherein said deformable element is adapted and configured to modulate an opening of an air passageway and said sensor is adapted and configured to monitor a condition of an airway to determine likelihood of an apneic event.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said condition monitored is an air passageway gap, air flow pressure, and/or wall tension.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein said deformable element and said sensor element are in two separate units.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein said sensor provides feedback to modulate said opening of said air passageway by said deformable element.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein said deformable element comprises an ion exchange polymer metal composite.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein said deformable element comprises an electroactive polymer element.

7. The device of claim 1 further comprising a microprocessor being adapted and configured to communicate with said sensor regarding said opening of said air passageway and controlling an energizing of said deformable element based on said communication with said sensor element.

8. The device of claim 1 further comprising a non-implanted portion.

11. The device of claim 1 wherein said deformable element and sensor element is adapted and configured for implantation into or proximal to an air passageway wall.

12. The device of claim 11 wherein said deformable element and sensor element is adapted and configured for implantation into or proximal to a nose, nostril, soft palate, tongue, laryngeal wall, and/or a pharyngeal wall.

13. The device of claim 1 wherein said deformable element is adapted and configured for implantation into a soft palate and sensor element is adapted and configured for implantation into a soft palate and/or a pharyngeal wall.

14. The device of claim 1 wherein said sensor element comprises a non-contact distance sensor, pressure sensor, flow sensor, or a wall tension sensor.

15. The device of claim 1 wherein the sensor element comprises a substantially flat surface.

16. The device of claim 1 further comprising a coating to prevent tissue growth.

17. The device of claim 1 further comprising a coating to promote tissue growth.

9. The device of claim 9 wherein said non-implanted portion comprises a battery.

10. The device of claim 9 wherein said non-implanted portion comprises a microprocessor being adapted and configured to communicate with said sensor regarding said opening of said air passageway and controlling an energizing of said deformable element based on said communication with said sensor element.

18. A method of treating a disease using an airway implant device comprising:

implanting a deformable element proximal to and/or in a wall of an air passageway, wherein said deformable element is adapted and configured to monitor a condition of said air passageway to determine likelihood of an apneic event and to modulate an opening of said air passageway based on said monitoring.

19. A method of treating a disease using an airway implant device comprising:

implanting a deformable element and a sensor element proximal to and/or in a wall of an air passageway, wherein said deformable element is adapted and configured to modulate an opening of an air passageway and said sensor is adapted and configured to monitor a condition of said air passageway to determine likelihood of an apneic event.

20. The device of claim 19 wherein said sensor element is further adapted and configured to provide a feedback to said deformable element regarding said condition being monitored and said modulation by said deformable element is related to said feedback.

21. The device of claim 19 wherein said sensor element is further adapted and configured to activate said deformable element, said activation being related to said monitoring by said sensor element.

22. The method of claim 19 wherein said sensor element is implanted in nose, nostril, soft palate, tongue, laryngeal wall, and/or a pharyngeal wall and said airway implant device is implanted in a soft palate.

23. The method of claim 19 wherein said airway implant device is coated with an agent to prevent tissue growth around said airway implant device.

24. The method of claim 19 wherein said airway implant device is coated with an agent to promote tissue growth around said airway implant device.

25. The method of claim 19 wherein said disease is obstructive sleep apnea or snoring.

26. A method of treating a disease using an airway implant device comprising:

implanting a deformable element and a sensor element proximal to and/or in a wall of an air passageway;

said deformable element being adapted and configured to control an opening of an air passageway by energizing said deformable element, wherein said energizing of said deformable element moves said soft palate to support a collapsed tongue and completely or partially opens said air passageway or supports said lateral pharyngeal wall and completely or partially opens up said air passageway and said energizing is in response to feedback from said sensor element regarding an opening of said air passageway.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein said deformable element comprises a magnetic material or an electroactive polymer element.