Method and apparatus for treatment of air way obstructions

• US 5,624,439 A
• Filed: 08/18/1995
• Issued: 04/29/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Somnus Medical Technologies, Inc. (Olympus Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Somnus Medical Technologies, Inc. (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Edwards, Stuart D., Gough, Edward J., Douglass, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Sykes, Angela D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HUANG, STEPHEN D
• Application Number:
  US08/516,779
• Time in Patent Office: 620 Days
• Field of Search: 606/32, 606/41, 606/45-48, 128/639, 128/642, 128/848, 128/859-861
• US Class Current: 606/45
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1477 Needle-like probes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1485 having a short rigid shaft for accessing the inner body through natural openings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/18 by applying electromagnetic radiation, e.g. microwaves radiation therapy A61N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1815 using microwaves
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/403 for thermotherapy, e.g. hyperthermia
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/04 Radiators for near-field treatment

Abstract

An apparatus for treating air way obstructions, includes a first arm including a proximal end and a distal end, the first arm distal end is inserted into the throat and positioned adjacent to a back surface of the tongue. A second arm has a proximal end and a distal end. The second arm is positioned under the jaw. A coupling member couples the first arm with the second arm, permitting rotational movement of each arm about a longitudinal axis of the coupling member. A plurality of RF electrodes are positioned in the first arm. The plurality of RF electrodes are advanced into the back of the tongue and retracted out of the tongue and into the first arm, ablating a selected area of the back of the tongue.

Claims

1. An apparatus for treating air way obstructions, comprising:

a first arm including a proximal end and a distal end, the first arm distal end being insertable into an oral cavity and adapted to be positioned adjacent to a surface of a tongue;

a second arm including a proximal end and a distal end, the second arm being adapted to be positioned under a jaw;

a coupling member mechanically coupling the first arm with the second arm permitting rotational movement of each arm about a longitudinal axis of the coupling member; and

a plurality of RF electrodes at least partially positioned in the first arm and adapted to be configured to be precisely positioned through a selected surface of the tongue into an interior of the tongue and adapted to be retracted out of the tongue and into the first arm.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of insulation sleeves, each insulation sleeve being associated with an RF electrode and slideably positioned around an exterior of the RF electrode to define an RF ablation surface.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a second plurality of RF electrodes at least partially positioned in the second arm and adapted to be configured to be precisely positioned through a selected undersurface of the tongue into an interior of the tongue.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising:

a plurality of insulation sleeves, each insulation sleeve being associated with an RF electrode positioned in the second arm and slideably positioned around an exterior of the RF electrode to define an RF ablation surface.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a handle coupled to the first and second arms.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of sensors associated with the plurality of RF electrodes positioned in the first arm.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a visualization apparatus coupled to one of the first or second arms.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of sensors positioned on an exterior surface of the distal end of the first arm to measure a temperature of the back of the tongue.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a lumen extending through the first arm providing an introduction of oxygen into a patient.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

an anesthetic lumen extending through the first arm providing injection of an anesthetic at the first arm distal end.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the coupling member is a hinge.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the coupling member applies a compression force to the first and second arms.

13. An apparatus for treating air way obstructions, comprising:

a first arm including a proximal end and a distal end, the first arm distal end being adapted to be insertable into an oral cavity and adapted to be positioned adjacent to a surface of the tongue;

a second arm including a proximal end and a distal end, the second arm being adapted to be positioned under the jaw;

a coupling member coupling the first arm with the second arm permitting rotational movement of each arm about a longitudinal axis of the coupling member;

a plurality of RF electrodes at least partially positioned in the first arm and adapted to be configured to be precisely positioned through a selected surface of the tongue into an interior of the tongue and adapted to be retracted out of the tongue and into the first arm;

one or more sensors positioned at one of an interior or an exterior of the RF electrodes or on an interior or exterior surface of the first arm distal end, to detect one of impedance or temperature; and

a sensor feedback apparatus coupled to the sensors for maintaining a tissue adjacent to the RF electrodes at a desired temperature.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein each of the RF electrodes is independently connected to the resources, and the resources generates an independent output for each RF electrode.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein hardware and/or software alone or in combination provides an output that maintains a selected energy at an RF antennae for a selected length of time.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the apparatus operates in a mono-polar mode.

17. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the apparatus operates in a bipolar mode.

18. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising:

a multiplexer coupled to the plurality of RF electrodes.

19. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising:

a plurality of insulation sleeves, each insulation sleeve being associated with an RF electrode and slideably positioned around an exterior of the RF electrode to define an RF ablation surface.

20. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising:

a second plurality of RF electrodes at least partially positioned in the second arm and configured to be precisely positioned through a selected undersurface surface of the tongue into an interior of the tongue.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising:

a plurality of insulation sleeves, each insulation sleeve being associated with an RF electrode positioned in the second arm and slideably positioned around an exterior of the RF electrode to define an RF ablation surface.

22. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising:

a handle coupled to the first and second arms.

23. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising:

a visualization apparatus coupled to one of the first or second arms.

24. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising:

a lumen extending through the first arm providing an introduction of oxygen into a patient.

25. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising:

an anesthetic lumen extending through the first arm providing injection of an anesthetic at the first arm distal end.

26. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the coupling member is a hinge.

27. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the coupling member applies a compression force to the first and second arms.