Partially erodable systems for treatment of obstructive sleep apnea
First Claim
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1. A method of maintaining airway patency in an airway of a patient, the method comprising:
- implanting a device into tissue adjacent an airway, the device having a bioerodable material helically wound around a resiliently deformable body to temporarily maintain the deformable body in a stretched, deformed state; and
permitting the bioerodable material of the device to bioerode to release the deformable body from its stretched, deformed state, thereby allowing the deformable body to apply a force to maintain airway patency.
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Abstract
A method of maintaining airway patency in an airway of a patient which includes the steps of implanting a device into tissue adjacent an airway, the device having a bioerodable material wound around a resiliently deformable body to temporarily maintain the deformable body in a stretched, deformed state, and permitting the bioerodable material of the device to bioerode to apply a force to maintain airway patency. The invention also provides devices for practicing the method.
132 Citations
28 Claims
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1. A method of maintaining airway patency in an airway of a patient, the method comprising:
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implanting a device into tissue adjacent an airway, the device having a bioerodable material helically wound around a resiliently deformable body to temporarily maintain the deformable body in a stretched, deformed state; and permitting the bioerodable material of the device to bioerode to release the deformable body from its stretched, deformed state, thereby allowing the deformable body to apply a force to maintain airway patency. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of maintaining airway patency in an airway of a patient, the method comprising:
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implanting a device into tissue adjacent an airway, the device having a bioerodable material wound around a resiliently deformable body to temporarily maintain the deformable body in a stretched, deformed state; and permitting the bioerodable material of the device to bioerode to release the deformable body from its stretched, deformed state, thereby allowing the deformable body to apply a force to maintain airway patency, wherein the implanting step further comprises a device having a bioerodable material helically wound within a narrow section of a resiliently deformable body between wide sections of the body. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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16. A device for maintaining patency of an airway of a patient comprising:
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a resiliently deformable body having an at-rest shape and a deformed shape, the body being adapted to be implanted into tissue adjacent an airway of the patient; proximal and distal anchors adapted to be implanted into the tissue and adapted to affix to the tissue; and at least one bioerodable material portion helically wound around a portion of the body, the bioerodable material portion maintaining the body in the deformed shape against a return force;
the body being configured to return toward the at-rest shape upon erosion of the bioerodable material portion,wherein the bioerodable material portion is a fiber. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A device for maintaining patency of an airway of a patient comprising:
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a resiliently deformable body having an at-rest shape and a deformed shape, the body being adapted to be implanted into tissue adjacent an airway of the patient; proximal and distal anchors adapted to be implanted into the tissue and adapted to affix to the tissue; at least one bioerodable material portion wound around a portion of the body, the bioerodable material portion maintaining the body in the deformed shape against a return force;
the body being configured to return toward the at-rest shape upon erosion of the bioerodable material portion,wherein the at least one bioerodable material portion is helically wound within a narrow section of the body between wide sections of the body. - View Dependent Claims (27)
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28. A device for maintaining patency of an airway of a patient comprising:
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a resiliently deformable body having an at-rest shape and a deformed shape, the body being adapted to be implanted into tissue adjacent an airway of the patient; proximal and distal anchors adapted to be implanted into the tissue and adapted to affix to the tissue; at least one bioerodable material portion helically wound around a portion of the body, the bioerodable material portion maintaining the body in the deformed shape against a return force;
the body being configured to return toward the at-rest shape upon erosion of the bioerodable material portion,wherein the at least one bioerodable material portion is formed from a polymer.
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Specification