Apparatus and methods for treating sleep apnea
First Claim
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1. A method for treating sleep apnea in a human or an animal having an oropharyngeal region with lateral and posterior walls, a soft palate, a valecullar space and an epiglottis, the method comprising:
- providing an appliance made of a biocompatible metal below a soft palate of a human or animal in or radially outwardly from the lateral and posterior walls of an oropharyngeal region of the human or animal, the appliance so provided having at least two laterally positioned elements substantially longitudinally spaced apart from each other to define an open interior space therebetween and providing an opening force against the lateral walls of the oropharyngeal region,wherein the appliance comprises resilient wire.
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Abstract
An apparatus and methods for treating sleep apnea and/or snoring are provided. The apparatus includes an appliance sized and structured to be placed in the pharyngeal region of a human or animal. The appliance, when so placed is effective in treating sleep apnea and/or snoring, for example in maintaining openness of an oropharyngeal region of a human or animal during natural sleep. Preferably, the appliance is non-circumferential in form and includes rounded, spaced apart end portions.
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Citations
38 Claims
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1. A method for treating sleep apnea in a human or an animal having an oropharyngeal region with lateral and posterior walls, a soft palate, a valecullar space and an epiglottis, the method comprising:
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providing an appliance made of a biocompatible metal below a soft palate of a human or animal in or radially outwardly from the lateral and posterior walls of an oropharyngeal region of the human or animal, the appliance so provided having at least two laterally positioned elements substantially longitudinally spaced apart from each other to define an open interior space therebetween and providing an opening force against the lateral walls of the oropharyngeal region, wherein the appliance comprises resilient wire. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An apparatus for treating sleep apnea in a human or animal having an oropharyngeal region with lateral and posterior walls, the apparatus comprising:
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an appliance comprising two elongated curved elements made of a bio compatible metal, each of the curved elements having a substantially circular dimension between a first end and a second end extending through more than 90°
of a circle, the two elements being coupled together at respective first and second ends, and being spaced apart from each other between the first and second ends to define an open interior space therebetween, the appliance being sized and structured to be placed in or radially outwardly from the lateral and posterior walls of an oropharyngeal region of a human or animal with the length of at least one of the elongated elements extending generally laterally across the posterior wall and, when so placed, being effective in treating sleep apnea,wherein the appliance includes only two elongated curved elements, each of the curved elements has a curved length extending from the first end to the second end, and the first end and the second end define a gap therebetween extending outwardly away from the first and second curved elements having a gap length which is reduced relative to the curved length of each of the curved elements. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. An apparatus for treating at least one of sleep apnea and snoring, comprising:
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an appliance comprising an elongated loop comprising first and second end portions and two spaced apart elongated elements extending between the first and second end portions, the appliance being sized for introduction into an oropharyngeal region of a human or animal and deployable in a C-shaped deployed configuration in which at least one of the elongated elements extends generally laterally across the posterior wall and the first and second end portions bear against and provide an opening force against the lateral walls of the oropharyngeal region, wherein, in the substantially C-shaped configuration, the first and second end portions define a gap therebetween. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A method for treating at least one of sleep apnea and snoring, comprising:
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providing an appliance comprising a continuous loop comprising first and second end portions and two spaced apart elongated elements extending between the first and second end portions; introducing the appliance into an oropharyngeal region; and releasing the appliance within the oropharyngeal region such that the elongated elements extends generally laterally across the posterior wall and the first and second end portions bear against and provide an opening force against the lateral walls of the oropharyngeal region, wherein the appliance comprises a substantially C-shaped configuration with the first and second end portions defining a gap therebetween when released within the oropharyngeal region. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38)
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Specification