Method of treating sleep-disordered breathing syndromes
First Claim
1. A method for stiffening a preselected region of soft palate tissue comprising epithelial tissue supported by subepithelial tissue in a mammal, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) cooling an exposed surface of epithelial tissue in the preselected region of soft palate tissue; and
(b) applying energy to the preselected region of the soft palate tissue to induce thermal injury of the subepithelial tissue in the preselected region, wherein the thermal injury of the subepithelial tissue results in stiffening of the preselected region of the soft palate tissue.
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Abstract
A method for treating sleep-disordered breathing syndromes, for example, snoring in a mammal. The method involves applying energy, for example, energy from laser light, to a preselected region of soft palate tissue in the mammal in an amount and duration sufficient to induce thermal injury to subepithelial tissue in the preselected region of soft palate tissue while minimizing thermal injury to epithelial tissue in the preselected region of soft palate tissue. Thermal injury of the subepithelial tissue results in stiffening of the preselected region of soft palate tissue thereby ameliorating the symptoms of the sleep-disordered breathing syndrome.
76 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for stiffening a preselected region of soft palate tissue comprising epithelial tissue supported by subepithelial tissue in a mammal, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) cooling an exposed surface of epithelial tissue in the preselected region of soft palate tissue; and (b) applying energy to the preselected region of the soft palate tissue to induce thermal injury of the subepithelial tissue in the preselected region, wherein the thermal injury of the subepithelial tissue results in stiffening of the preselected region of the soft palate tissue. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A non-invasive method for stiffening a preselected region of soft palate tissue comprising epithelial tissue supported by subepithelial tissue in a mammal, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing a radiation beaen having a wavelength in the range from about 0.6 to about 1.8 microns and either a fluence in the range from about 5 to about 500 joules per square cm or a power density in the range from about 1 to about 100 watts per square cm; (b) cooling an exposed surface of epithelial tissue in the preselected region of soft palate tissue; and (c) applying the beam to the preselected region of the soft palate tissue to induce thermal injury of the subepithelial tissue in the preselected region, wherein the thermal injury of the subepithelial tissue results in stiffening of the preselected region of the soft palate tissue. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification