System and method for hyoidplasty

• US 8,821,495 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2003
• Issued: 09/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Inventors: van der Burg, Erik J., Dineen, Michael T.
• Primary Examiner(s): BATES, DAVID W
• Application Number:
  US10/736,457
• Publication Number:
  US 20050126563A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,914 Days
• Field of Search: 606/71, 606/282, 606/151, 606/324, 254/13, 254/17, 254/92, 254/119, 254/124, 254/126, 254/104, 254/231, 108/6, 269/34, 269/43, 269/104, 269/237, 269216-218, 242/74.P, 244/89, 245/02, 245/03, 24514-517, 245/25, 245/68, 245/69, 600/219, 600/225, 600/237, 600243-245, 248/228.4, 248/230.4, 248/231.51, 248/316.2, 248/316.5, 294/193, 294/195, 294/198, 623/9, 33/270.2
• US Class Current: 606/86.R
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8061 specially adapted for particular bones A61B17/70 and A61B17/74 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8071 for the jaw
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/808 Instruments for holding or positioning bone plates, or for adjusting screw-to-plate locking mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/842 Flexible wires, bands or straps A61B17/72, A61B17/82, A61B17/86 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8872 Instruments for putting said fixation devices against or away from the bone A61B17/7074, A61B17/808 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/564 Methods for bone or joint treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/00 Filters implantable into blood vessels; Prostheses, i.e. artificial substitutes or replacements for parts of the body; Appliances for connecting them with the body; Devices providing patency to, or preventing collapsing of, tubular structures of the body, e.g. stents as cosmetic articles, see the relevant subclasses, e.g. wigs, hair pieces, A41G3/00, A41G5/00; artificial nails A45D31/00; dental prostheses A61C13/00; materials for prostheses A61L27/00; artificial hearts A61M60/00; artificial kidneys A61M1/14
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/56 Devices for preventing snoring by influencing the respiratory system by gas treatment A61M16/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0472 Devices for performing a tracheostomy

Abstract

Methods and devices are disclosed for manipulating the hyoid bone, such as to treat obstructive sleep apnea. An implant is positioned adjacent a hyoid bone. The spatial orientation of the hyoid bone is manipulated, to affect the configuration of the airway. The implant restrains the hyoid bone in the manipulated configuration. The implant is positioned adjacent to pharyngeal structures to dilate the pharyngeal airway and/or to support the pharyngeal wall against collapse.

Claims

1. A method of treating a patient, comprising the steps of:

providing a hyoid bone support, the support having a first arm and a second arm which are transformable from a moveable relationship with respect to each other to a fixed relationship with respect to each other, wherein the two arms are connected to one another;

attaching the first arm to a first part of a hyoid bone;

attaching the second arm to a second part of the hyoid bone;

changing the configuration of the hyoid bone by moving the two arms while in the moveable relationship with respect to each other; and

securing the support by placing the two arms in the fixed relationship with respect to each other.

2. A method of treating a patient as in claim 1, wherein the changing the configuration step further comprises increasing a lateral distance between the first and second parts of the hyoid bone.

3. A method of treating a patient as in claim 1, wherein the changing the configuration step further comprises increasing an anterior-posterior distance between the first and second parts of the hyoid bone.

4. A method of treating a patient as in claim 3, wherein the increasing the anterior-posterior distance of the changing the configuration step further comprises inserting at least one spacer between the first and second parts of the hyoid bone.

5. A method of treating a patient as in claim 3, wherein the increasing the anterior-posterior distance of the changing the configuration step further comprises attaching a brace to the first and second arms of the hyoid bone support to expand the distance between the first and second arms of the hyoid bone support.

6. A method of treating a patient as in claim 1, wherein the changing the configuration step is accomplished before at least one of the attaching steps.

7. A method of treating a patient as in claim 1, wherein the changing the configuration step is accomplished following both of the attaching steps.

8. A method of treating a patient as in claim 1, wherein at least one of the attaching steps further comprises using a bone screw.

9. A method of treating a patient as in claim 1, wherein at least one of the attaching steps further comprises using a bone clip.

10. A method of treating a patient as in claim 1, wherein at least one of the attaching steps further comprises using a suture.

11. A method of treating a patient as in claim 1, wherein at least one of the attaching steps further comprises using an adhesive.

12. A method of treating a patient as in claim 1, wherein at least one of the attaching steps further comprises using a mechanical interfit between the hyoid bone and the hyoid bone support.