METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR IMPROVING AIRWAY PATENCY

• US 20110220124A1
• Filed: 09/14/2010
• Published: 09/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Somnics inc.
• Original Assignee: ApniCure, Inc.
• Inventors: Daniel, Sean Christopher, Podmore, Jonathan, Crowe, John Edwards, Vaska, Matthias
• Granted Patent: US 8,505,540 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/848
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/566 Intra-oral devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/63 with means for emptying the suction container, e.g. by interrupting suction
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0009 with sub-atmospheric pressure, e.g. during expiration
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0463 combined with suction tubes, catheters or the like; Outside connections
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0488 Mouthpieces; Means for guiding, securing or introducing the tubes guiding or introducing with laryngoscopes A61B1/267; holding devices on the body A61M25/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0875 Connecting tubes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0027 pressure meter
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3331 Pressure; Flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3368 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/502 User interfaces, e.g. screens or keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2210/0637 Teeth
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2210/0643 Tongue
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/005 Parameter used as control input for the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/205 partial oxygen pressure (P-O2)

Abstract

An oral device for improving airway patency comprises a tongue constraint and a negative pressure source. The tongue constraint engages the patient'"'"'s tongue to maintain a clear region below the palate in an oral cavity and allow an anterior portion of the tongue to rise. By applying a negative pressure in the clear region, an airway behind the soft palate or tongue of the patient can be maintained. The tongue constraint is usually connected to an anchor. The anchor may be held between the patient'"'"'s teeth or may engage the inferior surface of the palate. Another oral device for improving airway patency comprises a lateral tongue structure and a negative pressure source.

Claims

1. A method for stabilizing a soft palate in a patient'"'"'s oral cavity, said method comprising:

selecting a patient diagnosed with sleep apnea;

engaging a member across an engagement region of the patient'"'"'s tongue, wherein a region of tongue anterior to the member is unconstrained so that it can rise in a superior direction relative to the engagement region; and

applying a vacuum to a space between the tongue and the palate to cause the anterior tongue region to rise in the superior direction.

2. A method as in claim 1, wherein applying the vacuum draws the soft palate against a region of the tongue posterior to the member.

3. A method as in claim 2, wherein the soft palate seals against the tongue to isolate the oral cavity from the patient'"'"'s airway.

4. A method as in claim 1, wherein the entire region of the tongue anterior to the member is caused to rise.

5. A method as in claim 1, wherein the vacuum acts on a superior portion of the soft palate.

6. A method as in claim 1, wherein the vacuum is applied through one or more vacuum ports disposed on a superior surface of the member.

7. A method as in claim 1, wherein engaging creates a clear region between a superior surface of the member and an inferior surface of the hard palate, wherein the clear region is free of structure and reaches to the soft palate.

8. A method as in claim 1, wherein engaging a member comprises inserting a bite structure between the patient'"'"'s jaws, wherein the bite structure carries the engagement member.

9. A method as in claim 1, wherein the engagement member extends across the oral cavity between left and right molars.

10. A method as in claim 1, further comprising sealing the lips to inhibit air from entering the oral cavity through the mouth.

11. A method as in claim 1, wherein engaging comprises placing an arcuate plate across the medial region of the tongue wherein the anterior region of the tongue is substantially unrestrained.

12. A method as in claim 1, wherein engaging comprises placing a substantially flat plate across the medial region of the tongue where the anterior region of the tongue remains unconstrained.

13. A method as in claim 12, further comprising a hard palate engagement plate located in a position superior to the arcuate plate.

14. A method as in claim 1, wherein engaging comprises placing a dome-shaped tongue constraint over the tongue, wherein posterior edge of the constraint engages the medial region and the tongue rises in a cavity formed between the constraint.

23. A device as in claim 6, wherein the tongue-engaging member comprising an arcuate plate configured to extend across the medial region of the tongue wherein the anterior region of the tongue is substantially unrestrained.

24. A device as in claim 6, wherein the tongue-engaging member comprises a substantially flat configured to extend across the medial region of the tongue, wherein the anterior region of the tongue remains unconstrained.

25. A device as in claim 8, further comprising a hard palate engagement plate located in a position superior to the arcuate plate.

26. A device as in claim 6, wherein the tongue-engagement member comprises a dome-shaped tongue constraint configured to extend over the tongue, wherein posterior edge of the constraint engages the medial region and the tongue rises in a cavity formed.

15. An oral device for temporary placement in a patient'"'"'s oral cavity, said device comprising:

a base adapted to be held between the patient'"'"'s upper and lower teeth;

a tongue-engaging member coupled to the base and having a posterior structure that engages an engagement region of the tongue and an anterior structure that allows a tongue region anterior to the member to rise relative to the engagement region when the base is held between the teeth; and

a vacuum conduit coupled to the base and/or the tongue-engaging member and configured to apply a vacuum to a region of the oral cavity between the patient'"'"'s tongue and palate.

16. A device as in claim 15, wherein the vacuum conduit is configured to draw the soft palate down onto a posterior region of the tongue.

17. A device as in claim 16, wherein the vacuum conduit is configured to seal the soft palate against the tongue to isolate the oral cavity from the patient'"'"'s airway.

18. A device as in claim 15, wherein the tongue-engaging member extends between the patient'"'"'s left and right molars when the base is held between the upper and lower teeth.

19. A device as in claim 18, wherein the base includes left and right bite structures and the tongue-engaging member is disposed between said bite structures.

20. A device as in claim 15, wherein the tongue-engaging member is spaced inferiorly of the hard palate when the base is held between the patient'"'"'s teeth, wherein a clear region free from structure is defined between the tongue-engaging member and the hard palate and extending to the patient'"'"'s soft palate.

21. A device as in claim 15, wherein the vacuum conduit is fluidly coupled to at least one vacuum port on a superior surface of the tongue-engaging member.

22. A device as in claim 15, further comprising a lip seal coupled to the base and/or the vacuum conduit to inhibit air from entering the oral cavity through the mouth.