Method and apparatus to treat conditions of the naso-pharyngeal area

• US 6,431,174 B1
• Filed: 08/10/2000
• Issued: 08/13/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Xomed Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Restore Medical, Inc. (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Knudson, Mark B., Tweden, Katherine S., Conrad, Timothy R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Winakur, Eric F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Veniaminov, Nikita
• Application Number:
  US09/636,803
• Time in Patent Office: 733 Days
• Field of Search: 128/848, 128/898, 128/200.24, 424/423, 424/434, 523/115, 623/23.73
• US Class Current: 128/898
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/0059 Cosmetic or alloplastic implants A61F2/10 - A61F2/16, A61F2/28 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/56 Devices for preventing snoring by influencing the respiratory system by gas treatment A61M16/00

Abstract

A patient'"'"'s upper airway condition such as snoring and sleep apnea is treated by selecting a particulate material selected for limited migration within tissue and for encouraging a fibrotic response of tissue to the material. A bolus of the particulate material is injected into the tissue area to structurally stiffen the tissue.

Claims

1. A method for treating an upper airway condition of a patient, said method comprising:

selecting a particulate material selected for limited migration within tissue and for encouraging a fibrotic response of tissue to said material;

injecting a bolus of said particulate material into said tissue area to stiffen said tissue.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein said particulate material is carried in a fluid carrier.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein said particulate material has a multi-modal particle size distribution.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein said tissue area is a soft palate of said patient.

5. A method according to claim 1 wherein said tissue area is a nasal mucosal surface of said patient.

6. A method according to claim 5 wherein said nasal mucosal surface is a nasal concha of said patient.

7. A method according to claim 1 wherein said tissue area is a pharyngeal wall of said patient.

8. A method according to claim 1 wherein said tissue area is an epiglottis of said patient.

9. A method according to claim 1 wherein said upper airway condition is snoring.

10. A method according to claim 1 wherein said upper airway condition is sleep apnea.

11. An apparatus for treating snoring of a patient suffering from snoring attributable, at least in part, to a snoring sound generating oscillation of a soft tissue area of said patient in response to airflow past said soft tissue area and where said soft tissue area has a characteristic dynamic response to said airflow prior to treatment, said apparatus comprising:

an implant of biocompatible material sized to be embedded within said soft tissue area;

said implant selected to have a stiffness to stiffen said soft tissue area after implantation to alter said dynamic response without substantially impairing a function of said soft tissue area;

said implant including a bolus of particulate matter adapted to be deposited into said soft tissue area with said particulate matter selected to induce a fibrotic response to stiffen said soft tissue area.