Tongue implant for sleep apnea
First Claim
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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;
identifying a region in the tongue extending from a mandibular-geniohyoid interface to the base of the tongue;
stiffening a tissue of the tongue throughout the identified region.
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Abstract
A patient'"'"'s obstructive sleep apnea is treated by 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. The method includes identifying a region in the tongue extending from a mandibular-geniohyoid interface to the base of the tongue and stiffening a tissue of the tongue throughout the identified region.
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Citations
9 Claims
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1. A method for treating obstructive sleep apnea comprising:
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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; identifying a region in the tongue extending from a mandibular-geniohyoid interface to the base of the tongue; stiffening a tissue of the tongue throughout the identified region. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9)
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7. A method according to
FIG. 4 wherein said implant is a tubular material selected to induce fibrosis formation and with a proximal end at said mandibular-geniohyoid interface and with a distal end at said base of the tongue.
Specification