Methods and devices for the treatment of airway obstruction, sleep apnea and snoring
DCFirst Claim
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1. A method for treatment of airway obstruction, comprising:
- providing a self tapping bone anchor which is sized for insertion into the mandible of a human patient, said bone anchor having attached suture;
inserting said bone anchor into a bone in the mouth of a patient using an anchor insertion device, said anchor insertion device having a distal portion for holding said anchor, said anchor insertion device being of a non-linear configuration such that said distal portion of said device can be inserted into the mouth of the patient for insertion of the bone anchor into the mandible of the patient, said anchor insertion device further having an activating trigger located outside of the patient'"'"'s mouth; and
,suspending the tongue of the patient using said suture, to prevent the tongue from obstructing the patient'"'"'s airway.
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Abstract
Methods and devices for the treatment of airway obstruction, sleep apnea and snoring, by tongue suspension for treatment of airway obstruction in a human subject, including the steps of inserting a bone anchor into the mandible of the subject, and fastening at least one suture to the bone anchor to suspend the tongue to the mandible. Preferably, the bone anchors used are surgical screws. The sutures are fastened to at least one surgical screw, and are preferably inserted in positions adjacent to the mandible'"'"'s midline. Alternatively, suspension of the hyoid bone is accomplished.
457 Citations
57 Claims
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1. A method for treatment of airway obstruction, comprising:
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providing a self tapping bone anchor which is sized for insertion into the mandible of a human patient, said bone anchor having attached suture; inserting said bone anchor into a bone in the mouth of a patient using an anchor insertion device, said anchor insertion device having a distal portion for holding said anchor, said anchor insertion device being of a non-linear configuration such that said distal portion of said device can be inserted into the mouth of the patient for insertion of the bone anchor into the mandible of the patient, said anchor insertion device further having an activating trigger located outside of the patient'"'"'s mouth; and
,suspending the tongue of the patient using said suture, to prevent the tongue from obstructing the patient'"'"'s airway. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A method for treatment of airway obstruction, comprising:
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providing a bone anchor, said bone anchor having suture attached thereto; inserting said bone anchor into a bone in the mouth of a patient; and
,suspending the tongue of the patient using said suture to prevent the tongue from obstructing the patient'"'"'s airway. - View Dependent Claims (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, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A method, comprising:
suspending the base of a patient'"'"'s tongue, said suspension being conducted by attaching said base of the tongue to a bone using sutures. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57)
Specification