Sleep apnea prevention and relief device
First Claim
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1. A suction-establishing medical device for the treatment of sleep apnea mountable to a throat region useable to relax otherwise collapsed or potentially collapsing or contacting air-passage tissues comprising:
- a neck mountable membrane or diaphragm capable of sustaining a pressure differential across its thickness, the pressure underneath it and adjacent the tissue being reduced relative to ambient pressure for at least a useful period;
a vacuum or suction seal mounted to the membrane, at or near its edges;
a vacuum or suction generation mechanism;
wherein the membrane with its suction seal being mountable on a patient'"'"'s neck portion overlying a region which requires reversal or avoidance of tissue collapse, said membrane/seal having a preformed general shape that approximately conforms to the neck region to which it is applied, at least at the edge gasket, the gasket providing a pneumatic seal against the neck tissues; and
wherein the vacuum or suction generation mechanism is able to apply or maintain a vacuum after said gasket seal is achieved, thereby establishing an outward tissue-pulling suction force on the underlying adjacent tissues within the seal to be uncollapsed.
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Abstract
A sleep apnea prevention and relief device is provided that is useful for a patient diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea. For example, a form-fitting neck device is provided with a suction generation or creation means to create continuous or lasting negative pressure upon or around the neck in order to urge substantially outward expansion of the soft tissues that are compressing the pharynx and creating the obstruction.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. A suction-establishing medical device for the treatment of sleep apnea mountable to a throat region useable to relax otherwise collapsed or potentially collapsing or contacting air-passage tissues comprising:
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a neck mountable membrane or diaphragm capable of sustaining a pressure differential across its thickness, the pressure underneath it and adjacent the tissue being reduced relative to ambient pressure for at least a useful period; a vacuum or suction seal mounted to the membrane, at or near its edges; a vacuum or suction generation mechanism; wherein the membrane with its suction seal being mountable on a patient'"'"'s neck portion overlying a region which requires reversal or avoidance of tissue collapse, said membrane/seal having a preformed general shape that approximately conforms to the neck region to which it is applied, at least at the edge gasket, the gasket providing a pneumatic seal against the neck tissues; and wherein the vacuum or suction generation mechanism is able to apply or maintain a vacuum after said gasket seal is achieved, thereby establishing an outward tissue-pulling suction force on the underlying adjacent tissues within the seal to be uncollapsed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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Specification