Stiffening Procedure for Sleep Apnea

• US 20070295340A1
• Filed: 06/23/2006
• Published: 12/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Xomed Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Xomed Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Buscemi, Paul J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,517,028 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/848
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/566 Intra-oral devices

Abstract

A patient'"'"'s obstructive sleep apnea is treated by placing a fibrosis-inducing agent is placed within the tongue in a region extending substantially from a hyoid bone rearward toward a back surface of the tongue and upwardly along the back wall toward a free end of a soft palate of the patient.

Claims

1. A method for treating obstructive sleep apnea comprising:

identifying a patient with sleep apnea attributable at least in part to movement of a base of a tongue of said patient toward a pharyngeal wall of said patient;

placing a fibrosis-inducing agent within said tongue in a region of said tongue extending substantially from a bone of said patient rearward toward a back surface of said tongue.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein said region extends laterally superior to the hyoid bone.

3. A method according to claim 1 further comprising placing a bone growth-inducing agent in said tongue between said hyoid bone and said fibrosis-inducing agent.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein said fibrosis-inducing agent includes a plurality of stiffening members have a longitudinal axis with a first end in close proximity to said hyoid bone and a second end in close proximity to said back wall of said tongue.

5. A method according to claim 4 wherein said stiffening members are placed in said tongue with a spacing selected for a fibrosis induced by said stiffening members to overlap.

6. A method according to claim 1 wherein said fibrosis-inducing agent includes a field of particulates injected into said tongue throughout said region with said particulates selected to induce a fibrotic response of a tissue of said tongue.

7. A method according to claim 3 wherein said bone growth-inducing agent is selected from a group including hydroxyapatite, bioactive glasses, calcium phosphates or other polymeric materials which have chemically active sites for calcium phosphate deposition.

8. A method according to claim 1 wherein said bone is a hyoid bone

9. A method according to claim 1 wherein said bone is a mandible.

10. A method for treating obstructive sleep apnea comprising:

identifying a patient with sleep apnea attributable at least in part to movement of a base of a tongue of said patient toward a pharyngeal wall of said patient;

placing a fibrosis-inducing agent within said tongue in a region extending between a jaw bone and hyoid bone of the patient.

11. A method according to claim 10 further comprising placing a bone growth inducing agent between said fibrosis-inducing agent and at least one of said jaw bone and said hyoid bone.

12. A method for treating a sleep disorder of a patient comprising:

identifying a patient with a sleep disorder;

placing a bone growth inducing agent within a tongue or a soft palate of said patient in proximity to a bone within said tongue or soft palate.