Screening devices and methods for obstructive sleep apnea therapy
First Claim
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1. A method of providing therapy to a patient, comprising:
- performing an assessment of the patient, wherein the assessment comprises protruding the patient'"'"'s tongue without electrical stimulation of a nerve of the patient, wherein the tongue protrusion is volitional, and observing a response of the patient'"'"'s upper airway; and
implanting a hypoglossal nerve stimulation device in the patient only if the response comprises an increase in airway size.
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Abstract
Devices and methods for treating obstructive sleep apnea by first performing an assessment of the patient that involves observing the patient'"'"'s upper airway during a tongue protrusion maneuver. The assessment may, for example, be done using endoscopy to observe the upper airway while the patient is awake in the supine position. An adequate response of the upper airway during the tongue protrusion maneuver is indicative of likely therapeutic success with hypoglossal nerve stimulation, and may be used for making clinical decisions. The principles of the present invention may be applied to other therapeutic interventions for OSA involving the upper airway.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method of providing therapy to a patient, comprising:
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performing an assessment of the patient, wherein the assessment comprises protruding the patient'"'"'s tongue without electrical stimulation of a nerve of the patient, wherein the tongue protrusion is volitional, and observing a response of the patient'"'"'s upper airway; and implanting a hypoglossal nerve stimulation device in the patient only if the response comprises an increase in airway size. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of providing therapy to a patient, comprising:
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performing a tongue protrusion maneuver without electrical stimulation of a nerve of the patient, wherein the tongue protrusion is volitional, and observing a response of the patient'"'"'s upper airway; and treating the patient'"'"'s upper airway with a therapy as a function of the observed response. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of providing therapy to a patient, comprising:
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performing a palatoglossal arch maneuver and observing a response of the patient'"'"'s upper airway, wherein the palatoglossal arch maneuver includes volitional tongue protrusion in the absence of electrical stimulation; and treating the patient'"'"'s upper airway with a therapy as a function of the observed response. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification