Devices, systems, and methods to fixate tissue within the regions of the body, such as the pharyngeal conduit

• US 20070186936A1
• Filed: 04/03/2007
• Published: 08/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Original Assignee: Apneon, Inc.
• Inventors: Liu, Jinfang, Boucher, Ryan, Jones, Lawrence, Doelling, Eric, Nelson, Lionel, Stine, J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,096,302 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/848
• 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: Y10S 602/902 Antisnoring or mouth closing devices

Abstract

Systems and methods incorporate implant structures, and/or implantation devices, and/or surgical implantation techniques, to make possible the treatment of physiologic conditions, such as sleep disordered breathing, with enhanced effectiveness.

Claims

1. An implant comprising a structure sized and configured to occupy a targeted tissue region in an oral cavity and including at least one member carried by the structure that is sized and configured to be selectively deployed outward of the structure into contact with tissue.

2. An implant according to claim 1

wherein the at least one member comprises an arm that is deflectable between an inboard condition extending generally along the structure and an outboard condition extending outward of the structure in contact with tissue.

3. An implant according to claim 2

wherein the arm comprises an elastic material.

4. An implant according to claim 2

wherein the arm comprises a shape memory material.

5. An implant according to claim 2,

wherein the arm comprising a material having a spring-like mechanical property.

6. An implant according to claim 2

wherein the arm is resiliently biased toward the outboard condition.

7. An implant according to claim 1

wherein the at least one member is resiliently biased toward a deployed condition outward of the structure.

8. An implant according to claim 7

wherein the at least one member is resiliently movable within a delivery tool toward an inboard condition generally along the structure.

9. An implant according to claim 8

wherein the at least one member resiliently returns toward the deployed condition upon release from the delivery tool.

10. An implant according to claim 1

including a plurality of members each sized and configured to be selectively deployed outward of the structure into contact with tissue.

11. An implant according to claim 10

wherein at least some of the plurality of members are disposed in a same region of the structure.

12. An implant according to claim 10

wherein at least some of the plurality of members are disposed in an end region of the structure

13. An implant according to claim 10

wherein at least some of the plurality of members are disposed in different regions of the structure.

14. An implant according to claim 10

wherein at least some of the plurality of members are disposed in opposite ends of the structure.

15. An implant according to claim 10

wherein at least some of the plurality of members are disposed on opposite sides of the structure.

16. An implant according to claim 1

wherein the at least one member is sized and configured to be selectively deployed outward of the structure into contact with a mucosa, or a submucosa, or against a fascia, or against or within a muscle.

17. An implant according to claim 1

wherein the at least one member is sized and configured to be selectively deployed outward of the structure against a submucosa, or fascia, or against or within a muscle, without stabilizing through a mucosa.

18. An implant according to claim 1

wherein the at least one member anchors the structure in tissue.

19. An implant according to claim 1

wherein the at least one member fixates the structure in tissue.

20. An implant system comprising

an implant sized and configured to occupy a targeted tissue region in an oral cavity and including at least one member carried by the implant that is deflectable between an inboard condition extending generally along the structure and an outboard condition extending outward of the structure in contact with tissue, the at least one member being resiliently biased toward the outboard condition, and

a delivery tool sized and configured to hold the implant and deflect the at least one member toward the inboard condition for delivery to the targeted tissue region and to selectively release the implant within the targeted tissue region to free the at least one member to resiliently deflect toward the outboard condition in contact with tissue.

21. A method comprising

providing an implant sized and configured to occupy a targeted tissue region in an oral cavity and including at least one member carried by the implant that is deflectable between an inboard condition extending generally along the structure and an outboard condition extending outward of the structure in contact with tissue, the at least one member being resiliently biased toward the outboard condition,

delivering the implant to a targeted tissue region in an oral cavity with the at least one member deflected toward the inboard condition, and

allowing the at least one member to resiliently deflect toward the outboard condition in contact with tissue in the tissue region.

22. A method according to claim 21

wherein the at least one member, when deflected in the outboard condition, anchors the implant in tissue.

23. An implant according to claim 21

wherein the at least one member, when deflected in the outboard condition, fixates the implant in tissue.

24. A method according to claim 23

wherein the at least one member, when deflected in the outboard condition, is deployed outward of the implant in contact with a mucosa, or a submucosa, or against a fascia, or against or within a muscle.

25. A method according to claim 23

wherein the at least one member, when deflected in the outboard condition, is deployed outward of the implant against a submucosa, or fascia, or against or within a muscle, without stabilizing through a mucosa.

26. A method according to claim 23

further including stabilizing a desired orientation of the tissue region by providing the implant, delivering the implant, and allowing the at least one member to resiliently deflect toward the outboard condition to stabilize the implant in the tissue region.

27. A method according to claim 26

wherein stabilizing a desired orientation of the tissue region treats sleep disordered breathing.