Obstructive sleep apnea treatment devices, systems and methods
9 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Devices, systems and methods for nerve stimulation for OSA therapy.
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Citations
82 Claims
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1-56. -56. (canceled)
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57. A method using an implanted medical device having electrodes for measuring respiration, the method comprising:
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sampling a bio-impedance measurement along a short distance vector first to determine if the short distance vector is producing a signal sufficiently adequate to be an indicator of respiration, wherein the short distance vector includes a path between two electrodes spaced by a first distance;
sampling a bio-impedance measurement along an intermediate distance vector if the short distance vector is not producing a signal sufficiently adequate to be an indicator of respiration, wherein the intermediate distance vector includes a path between two electrodes spaced by a second distance larger than the first distance; and
sampling a bio-impedance measurement along a long distance vector if the intermediate distance vector is not producing a signal sufficiently adequate to be an indicator of respiration, wherein the long distance vector includes a path between a two electrodes spaced by a third distance larger than the second distance. - View Dependent Claims (58)
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59. A method of using an implanted medical device by switching between a plurality of sensed signals, the method comprising:
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providing a plurality of sensed signals to a channel selection switch;
identifying a plurality of fiducials for each of the plurality of sensed signals;
analyzing the fiducials of each of the plurality of sensed signals to determine which of the sensed signals is the best indicator of a patient'"'"'s respiration;
identifying the sensed signal that is the best indicator of a patient'"'"'s respiration as a primary signal;
storing the identified fiducials for at least the signals not identified as the primary signal;
analyzing the stored fiducials to determine if any of the signals not identified as the primary signal are a better indicator of a patient'"'"'s respiration than the primary signal;
identifying the signal that is the better indicator of a patient'"'"'s respiration as the secondary signal; and
switching to the secondary signal for respiration detection. - View Dependent Claims (60)
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61. A method of using an implanted medical device by monitoring a chronically implanted stimulation lead, the method comprising:
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providing an implantable electrical stimulator having an impedance sensing circuit for sensing a parameter indicative of respiration;
providing an impedance sensor connected to the impedance sensing circuit;
providing a stimulation lead connected to the stimulator, the stimulation lead including a distal electrode;
providing a switching circuit operably coupled to the impedance sensing circuit; and
via the switching circuit, selectively coupling the impedance sensing circuit to the stimulation lead. - View Dependent Claims (62, 63)
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64-69. -69. (canceled)
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70. A method of treating obstructive sleep apnea, the method comprising:
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chronically implanting an electrode on a nerve innervating an upper airway dilator muscle;
sensing a measure of respiration for a plurality of respiratory cycles including inspiratory and expiratory phases;
identifying the respiratory cycle period;
analyzing the measure of respiration to identify the onset of the expiratory phase for each respiratory cycle;
predicting the onset of a future expiratory phase; and
beginning stimulation of the nerve a fraction of a respiratory cycle period before the onset of the future expiratory phase. - View Dependent Claims (71, 72, 73, 77)
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74. A method of treating obstructive sleep apnea, the method comprising:
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obtaining a respiration waveform for a respiratory cycle including inspiratory and expiratory phases;
identifying the respiratory cycle period;
identifying the onset of the expiratory phase for the respiratory cycle;
predicting the onset of a future expiratory phase; and
stimulating a nerve to cause dilation of a patient'"'"'s upper airway, wherein stimulation of the nerve begins a fraction of a respiratory cycle period before the onset of the future expiratory phase. - View Dependent Claims (75, 76)
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78. (canceled)
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79. A method of using an implanted medical device having electrodes for measuring bio-impedance, the method comprising:
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providing a first vector and a second vector, wherein each vector is defined by electrodes spaced from each other;
chronically implanting the electrodes;
measuring a first bio-impedance across the first vector;
measuring a second bio-impedance across the second vector;
comparing the first and second bio-impedance measurements; and
selecting one of the first and second bio-impedance measurements as a preferred indicator of respiration. - View Dependent Claims (80, 81, 82)
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Specification