Pharyngeal wall treatment
First Claim
1. An apparatus for treating sleep apnea by treating a pharyngeal airway having a pharyngeal wall of a patient at least partially surrounding and defining said airway, said method comprising;
- an expander member dimensioned so as to be inserted into said airway with an active portion of said expander member positioned in an interior of said airway and external to a tissue of said pharyngeal wall and in opposition to an airway-defining tissue of portions of said wall to be treated;
an activator for activating said expander member to urge against said airway-defining tissue of said portions to urge said portions outwardly to an outwardly displaced position;
an applicator to treat said portions in said outwardly displaced position with a treatment to retain said portions in said outwardly displaced position following deactivation of said expander member for a time sufficient to treat obstructive sleep apnea;
said expander member adapted to be deactivated while leaving said portions in said outwardly displaced position;
said expander member further dimensioned so as to be removable from said airway.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A patient'"'"'s pharyngeal wall is treated by inserting an expander member into the airway and positioning an active portion of the expander member in opposition to portions of the pharyngeal wall to be treated. The expander member is activated to urge the wall portions outwardly to an outwardly displaced position. The expander member is then deactivated while leaving the wall portions in the outwardly placed position and the expander member is removed from said airway. A further aspect of the treatment includes stabilization of at least a portion of the pharyngeal wall after compression of portions of the wall.
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Citations
4 Claims
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1. An apparatus for treating sleep apnea by treating a pharyngeal airway having a pharyngeal wall of a patient at least partially surrounding and defining said airway, said method comprising;
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an expander member dimensioned so as to be inserted into said airway with an active portion of said expander member positioned in an interior of said airway and external to a tissue of said pharyngeal wall and in opposition to an airway-defining tissue of portions of said wall to be treated; an activator for activating said expander member to urge against said airway-defining tissue of said portions to urge said portions outwardly to an outwardly displaced position; an applicator to treat said portions in said outwardly displaced position with a treatment to retain said portions in said outwardly displaced position following deactivation of said expander member for a time sufficient to treat obstructive sleep apnea; said expander member adapted to be deactivated while leaving said portions in said outwardly displaced position; said expander member further dimensioned so as to be removable from said airway. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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Specification