Obstructive sleep apnea treatment devices, systems and methods
First Claim
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1. A method of stimulating a nerve of a patient, the method comprising:
- positioning a first electrode set on a first portion of the nerve, wherein the first portion of the nerve innervates a first upper airway muscle of the patient;
positioning a second electrode set on a second portion of the nerve, wherein the second portion of the nerve innervates a second upper airway muscle of the patient; and
alternatively delivering an electrical stimulation to the first electrode set and to the second electrode set, wherein the first electrode set and the second electrode set share a common electrode.
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Abstract
A method of stimulating a nerve of a patient. The method may include positioning a first electrode set on a first portion of the nerve, wherein the first portion of the nerve innervates a first upper airway muscle of the patient. The method may include positioning a second electrode set on a second portion of the nerve, wherein the second portion of the nerve innervates a second upper airway muscle of the patient. The method may further include alternatively delivering an electrical stimulation to the first electrode set and to the second electrode set.
413 Citations
49 Claims
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1. A method of stimulating a nerve of a patient, the method comprising:
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positioning a first electrode set on a first portion of the nerve, wherein the first portion of the nerve innervates a first upper airway muscle of the patient; positioning a second electrode set on a second portion of the nerve, wherein the second portion of the nerve innervates a second upper airway muscle of the patient; and alternatively delivering an electrical stimulation to the first electrode set and to the second electrode set, wherein the first electrode set and the second electrode set share a common electrode. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of stimulating a hypoglossal nerve of a patient, the method comprising:
alternating delivery of a first electrical stimulation to a first portion of the hypoglossal nerve that innervates a first upper airway muscle of the patient and a second electrical stimulation to a second portion of the hypoglossal nerve that innervates a second upper airway muscle of the patient, wherein the first electrical stimulation is delivered via a first electrode set, and the second electrical stimulation is delivered via a second electrode set, and wherein the first electrode set and the second electrode set share a common electrode. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of activating an upper airway muscle of a patient, the method comprising:
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positioning a plurality of electrodes proximate a nerve innervating the upper airway muscle, the nerve including a first set of fascicles innervating a first portion of the upper airway muscle and a second set of fascicles innervating a second portion of the upper airway muscle; delivering a first electrical stimulation to only the first set of fascicles for a first predetermined amount of time, wherein the first electrical stimulation is delivered via a first set of the plurality of electrodes; delivering a second electrical stimulation to only the second set of fascicles for a second predetermined amount of time, wherein the second electrical stimulation is delivered via a second set of the plurality of electrodes; and repeatedly alternating delivery of the first electrical stimulation and the second electrical stimulation, wherein the first set of the plurality of electrodes and the second set of the plurality of electrodes share a common electrode. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method of activating an upper airway muscle of a patient, the method comprising:
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positioning a plurality of electrodes proximate a nerve innervating the upper airway muscle, the nerve including a first set of fascicles innervating a first portion of the upper airway muscle and a second set of fascicles innervating a second portion of the upper airway muscle; delivering a first electrical stimulation to only the first set of fascicles for a first predetermined amount of time; delivering a second electrical stimulation to only the second set of fascicles for a second predetermined amount of time; and repeatedly alternating delivery of the first electrical stimulation and the second electrical stimulation, wherein the plurality of electrodes are disposed in a cuff body having a first side with a first longitudinal edge and a second side with a second longitudinal edge, the cuff body having a proximalmost end surface and a distalmost end surface, wherein the first longitudinal edge includes a proximalmost end and a distalmost end, and the second longitudinal edge includes a proximalmost end and a distalmost end, and wherein, when the plurality of electrodes are positioned proximate the nerve, the cuff body surrounds substantially an entire circumference of a portion of the nerve, the first and second longitudinal edges are unattached and facing one another, and the proximalmost and distalmost ends of the second longitudinal edge are disposed between the proximalmost and distalmost ends of the first longitudinal edge, wherein the distalmost end surface of the cuff body is not associated with the second side of the cuff body. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A method of stimulating a nerve of a patient, the method comprising:
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positioning a first electrode set on a first portion of the nerve, wherein the first portion of the nerve innervates a first upper airway muscle of the patient; positioning a second electrode set on a second portion of the nerve, wherein the second portion of the nerve innervates a second upper airway muscle of the patient; and alternatively delivering an electrical stimulation to the first electrode set and to the second electrode set, wherein an electrode in the first electrode set is electrically common to an electrode in the second electrode set. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A method of stimulating a hypoglossal nerve of a patient, the method comprising:
alternating delivery of a first electrical stimulation to a first portion of the hypoglossal nerve that innervates a first upper airway muscle of the patient and a second electrical stimulation to a second portion of the hypoglossal nerve that innervates a second upper airway muscle of the patient, wherein the first electrical stimulation is delivered via a first electrode set, and the second electrical stimulation is delivered via a second electrode set, and wherein an electrode in the first electrode set is electrically common to an electrode in the second electrode set. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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44. A method of activating an upper airway muscle of a patient, the method comprising:
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positioning a plurality of electrodes proximate a nerve innervating the upper airway muscle, the nerve including a first set of fascicles innerving a first portion of the upper airway muscle and a second set of fascicles innervating a second portion of the upper airway muscle; delivering a first electrical stimulation to only the first set of fascicles for a first predetermined amount of time, wherein the first electrical stimulation is delivered via a first set of the plurality of electrodes; delivering a second electrical stimulation to only the second set of fascicles for a second predetermined amount of time, wherein the second electrical stimulation is delivered via a second set of the plurality of electrodes; and repeatedly alternating delivery of the first electrical stimulation and the second electrical stimulation, wherein an electrode in the first set of the plurality of electrodes is electrically common to an electrode in the second set of the plurality of electrodes. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47, 48, 49)
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Specification