FLEXIBLE IMPLANTS HAVING INTERNAL VOLUME SHIFTING CAPABILITIES FOR TREATING OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP APNEA

• US 20110100378A1
• Filed: 10/30/2009
• Published: 05/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ethicon Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Rousseau, Robert A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,974,683 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/848
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/566 Intra-oral devices

Abstract

An implant for treating obstructive sleep apnea includes a first chamber containing an incompressible fluid, a second chamber containing a compressible fluid, and a flexible diaphragm separating the first and second chambers. The incompressible fluid is in communication with the compressible fluid via the flexible diaphragm. The first chamber has a first volume that remains constant in response to an external force applied upon the implant and the second chamber has a second volume that is changeable when the external force is applied upon the implant. The flexible diaphragm is extendible into the second chamber for reducing the second volume of the second chamber and compressing the compressible fluid within the second chamber. The compressible fluid within the second chamber provides less resistance to flexing during initial flexing of the implant and more resistance to flexing during further flexing of the implant.

Claims

1. An implant for treating obstructive sleep apnea comprising:

a first chamber containing an incompressible fluid;

a second chamber containing a compressible fluid, and

a flexible diaphragm separating said first and second chambers, wherein said incompressible fluid within said first chamber is in communication with said compressible fluid within said second chamber via said flexible diaphragm.

2. The implant as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first chamber has a first volume that remains constant during flexing of said implant and said second chamber has a second volume that changes during flexing of said implant.

3. The implant as claimed in claim 2, wherein said flexible diaphragm is extendible into said second chamber for reducing the second volume of said second chamber and compressing said compressible fluid within said second chamber.

4. The implant as claimed in claim 1, wherein application of an external force upon said first chamber extends said flexible diaphragm into said second chamber for compressing said compressible fluid within said second chamber.

5. The implant as claimed in claim 1, wherein said implant comprises biocompatible polymeric materials or biocompatible elastomeric materials.

6. The implant as claimed in claim 1, wherein said incompressible fluid within said first chamber is selected from the group consisting of liquids, water, saline solution and flowable gels.

7. The implant as claimed in claim 1, wherein said compressible fluid within said second chamber is selected from the group consisting of gasses, air, and nitrogen.

8. The implant as claimed in claim 1, wherein said implant has a longitudinal axis that is alignable with an anterior-posterior, transverse, vertical, or horizontal axis of a patient, or a longitudinal axis that is angled relative to the anterior-posterior, transverse, vertical, or horizontal axis of the patient.

9. The implant as claimed in claim 1, wherein one of said first and second chambers is disposed within the other one of said first and second chambers.

10. The implant as claimed in claim 1, wherein said implant is implantable within soft tissue of an oropharyngeal airway.

11. The implant as claimed in claim 1, wherein said implant is implantable within a tongue, a soft palate, or a pharyngeal wall.

12. An implant for treating obstructive sleep apnea comprising:

a central chamber containing an incompressible fluid;

a first outer chamber located adjacent a first end of said central chamber and containing a first compressible fluid;

a first flexible diaphragm separating said first end of said central chamber and said first outer chamber;

a second outer chamber located adjacent a second end of said central chamber and containing a second compressible fluid; and

a second flexible diaphragm separating said second end of said central chamber and said second outer chamber.

13. The implant as claimed in claim 12, wherein said incompressible fluid within said central chamber is in communication with said first compressible fluid via said first flexible diaphragm and is in communication with said second compressible fluid via said second flexible diaphragm.

14. The implant as claimed in claim 12, wherein said first chamber has a first volume that remains constant when an external force is exerted upon said implant and said first and second outer chambers have respective volumes that are changeable when the external force is exerted upon said implant.

15. The implant as claimed in claim 12, wherein said first flexible diaphragm is extendible into said first outer chamber for reducing the volume of said first outer chamber and compressing said first compressible fluid within said first outer chamber, and said second flexible diaphragm is extendible into said second outer chamber for reducing the volume of said second outer chamber and compressing said second compressible fluid within said second outer chamber.

16. The implant as claimed in claim 12, wherein said incompressible fluid within said central chamber is selected from the group consisting of liquids, water, saline and flowable gels, and said first and second compressible fluids within said respective first and second outer chambers are selected from the group consisting of gasses, air, and nitrogen.

17. The implant as claimed in claim 12, wherein said implant is implantable within soft tissue of an oropharyngeal airway.

18. The implant as claimed in claim 17, further comprising a plurality of implants implantable within the soft tissue of an oropharyngeal airway.

19. The implant as claimed in claim 17, wherein said implant is implantable within a tongue, a soft palate, or a pharyngeal wall.

20. The implant as claimed in claim 12, wherein said implant is adapted to flex, and wherein said incompressible and compressible fluids cooperate to provide for less resistance to flexure during an initial flexing stage and more resistance to flexure during a further flexing stage.

21. An implant for treating obstructive sleep apnea comprising:

a first flexible chamber containing an incompressible fluid, wherein said first chamber defines a first volume that remains constant during flexing of said implant;

a second chamber containing a compressible fluid, wherein said second chamber defines a second volume that changes during flexing of said implant; and

a flexible diaphragm separating said first and second chambers, wherein said incompressible fluid within said first chamber is in communication with said compressible fluid within said second chamber via said flexible diaphragm.

22. The implant as claimed in claim 21, wherein said compressible fluid within said second chamber provides less resistance to flexing during an initial flexing stage and more resistance to flexing during a later flexing stage.