Braided implant for snoring treatment

• US 6,450,169 B1
• Filed: 02/25/2000
• Issued: 09/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Snoring Center USA, LLC
• Original Assignee: Restore Medical, Inc. (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Knudson, Mark B., Conrad, Timothy R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lacyk, John P.
• Application Number:
  US09/513,432
• Time in Patent Office: 935 Days
• Field of Search: 128/897.98, 600/12
• US Class Current: 128/897
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/566 Intra-oral devices

Abstract

A method and apparatus for treating snoring of a patient includes providing an implant for altering a dynamic response of a soft palate of the patient to airflow past the soft palate. The implant is embedded in the soft palate to alter the dynamic response. The implant has multiple fibers braided along a length of the implant.

Claims

1. A method for treating snoring of a patient, said method comprising:

providing an implant for altering a dynamic response of a soft palate of the patient to air flow past said soft palate, the implant including first and second components;

implanting said implant into said soft palate to alter said dynamic response;

said providing including selecting an implant of multiple fibers of different materials to provide different stiffening to said palate.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the multiple fibers include a bio-resorbable and non-resorbable fiber.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the multiple fibers are non-resorbable fiber.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the multiple fibers are twisted together along a length of the implant with the fibers having terminal ends at opposite ends of the implant.

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

an implant of bio-compatible material sized to be embedded within said soft palate; and

said implant having multiple fibers of different materials to provide different stiffening to said palate.

6. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the multiple fibers include a bio-resorbable and non-resorbable fiber.

7. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the multiple fibers are non-resorbable fiber.

8. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the multiple fibers are twisted together along a length of the implant with the fibers having terminal ends at opposite ends of the implant.

9. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the multiple fibers are braided together.