Method and device for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea and snoring
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A tissue retractor for treatment of at least one of snoring and sleep apnea in a patient that prevents deformation of a tongue of the patient, the tissue retractor comprising:
- a) a flexible shaft configured for transmucosal insertion into the patient'"'"'s tongue;
b) a retractor member connected at or near a first end of the flexible shaft; and
c) an anchor member connected at or near a second end of the flexible shaft,wherein at least one of the retractor member or the anchor member is configured to be positioned on an external surface of the patient'"'"'s tongue, and neither the retractor member nor the anchor member are configured to be tethered to bone,such that a tension from the flexible shaft is configured to exert an amount of pressure sufficient to prevent the external surface of the patient'"'"'s tongue from falling toward a soft tissue located in an oral cavity or a pharynx of the patient when the patient'"'"'s tongue is relaxed during sleep but permit flexing of the patient'"'"'s tongue by not impairing normal movement of the patient'"'"'s tongue during speech and swallowing,the tissue retractor further configured for at least one of removal, reinsertion, or subsequent retensioning by adjustment of the tissue retractor by the patient for effectiveness and comfort.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The device relates to methods and devices for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.
78 Citations
46 Claims
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1. A tissue retractor for treatment of at least one of snoring and sleep apnea in a patient that prevents deformation of a tongue of the patient, the tissue retractor comprising:
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a) a flexible shaft configured for transmucosal insertion into the patient'"'"'s tongue; b) a retractor member connected at or near a first end of the flexible shaft; and c) an anchor member connected at or near a second end of the flexible shaft, wherein at least one of the retractor member or the anchor member is configured to be positioned on an external surface of the patient'"'"'s tongue, and neither the retractor member nor the anchor member are configured to be tethered to bone, such that a tension from the flexible shaft is configured to exert an amount of pressure sufficient to prevent the external surface of the patient'"'"'s tongue from falling toward a soft tissue located in an oral cavity or a pharynx of the patient when the patient'"'"'s tongue is relaxed during sleep but permit flexing of the patient'"'"'s tongue by not impairing normal movement of the patient'"'"'s tongue during speech and swallowing, the tissue retractor further configured for at least one of removal, reinsertion, or subsequent retensioning by adjustment of the tissue retractor by the patient for effectiveness and comfort. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A tissue retractor for treatment of sleep apnea in a patient that prevents a deformation of an external surface of a mucosa covering a soft tissue located in an oral cavity or a pharynx of the patient, the tissue retractor comprising:
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a) a flexible shaft configured for transmucosal insertion into the mucosa covering and the soft tissue; b) a retractor member connected at or near a first end of the flexible shaft; and c) an anchor member connected at or near a second end of the flexible shaft, wherein at least one of the retractor member or the anchor member is configured to be positioned on the external surface of the mucosa covering and the soft tissue, and neither the retractor member nor the anchor member are configured to be tethered to bone, such that a tension from the flexible shaft is configured to exert an amount of pressure sufficient to prevent the deformation of the external surface of the mucosa covering and the soft tissue when relaxed during sleep but permit flexing of the mucosa covering and the soft tissue by not impairing normal movement of the mucosa covering and the soft tissue during speech and swallowing, the tissue retractor further configured for at least one of removal, reinsertion, or subsequent retensioning by adjustment of the tissue retractor by the patient for effectiveness and comfort. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method for treatment of at least one of snoring and sleep apnea in a patient that prevents a deformation of a mucosa covering a soft tissue located in an oral cavity or a pharynx of the patient, the method comprising:
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a) inserting a flexible shaft, configured for transmucosal insertion, into the mucosa covering and the soft tissue of a tongue of the patient; b) connecting a retractor member at or near a first end of the flexible shaft; and c) connecting an anchor member at or near a second end of the flexible shaft, forming a connected retractor member, flexible shaft, and anchor member, wherein neither the retractor member nor the anchor member are configured to be tethered to bone, and at least one of the retractor member and the anchor member is positioned on an external surface of the patient'"'"'s tongue, and at least one of the shaft, the retractor member and the anchor member interact such that a tension from the flexible shaft is configured to exert an amount of pressure sufficient to prevent the external surface of the patient'"'"'s tongue from falling toward a soft tissue located in the patient'"'"'s oral cavity or pharynx when the patient'"'"'s tongue is relaxed during sleep but permit flexing of the patient'"'"'s tongue by not impairing normal movement of the patient'"'"'s tongue during speech and swallowing, the connected retractor member, flexible shaft, and anchor member further configured for at least one of removal, reinsertion, or subsequent retensioning by adjustment of the connected retractor member, flexible shaft, and anchor member by the patient for effectiveness and comfort. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A method for treatment of a breathing disorder in a patient that prevents a deformation of an external surface of a mucosa covering a soft tissue located in an oral cavity or a pharynx of the patient, the method comprising:
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a) inserting a flexible shaft, configured for transmucosal insertion, into the mucosa covering and the soft tissue located in the patient'"'"'s oral cavity or pharynx; b) connecting a retractor member at or near a first end of the flexible shaft; and c) connecting an anchor member at or near a second end of the flexible shaft, forming a connected retractor member, flexible shaft, and anchor member, wherein neither the retractor member nor the anchor member are configured to be tethered to bone, and at least one of the retractor member and the anchor member is positioned on an external surface of the soft tissue and at least one of the shaft, the retractor member and the anchor member interact such that a tension from the flexible shaft exerts an amount of pressure sufficient to prevent the deformation of the external surface of the mucosa covering and the soft tissue when relaxed during sleep but permit flexing of the mucosa covering and the soft tissue by not impairing normal movement of the mucosa covering and the soft tissue during speech and swallowing, the connected retractor member, flexible shaft, and anchor member further configured for at least one of removal, reinsertion, or subsequent retensioning by adjustment of the connected retractor member, flexible shaft, and anchor member by the patient for effectiveness and comfort. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A tissue retractor for treatment of at least one of snoring and sleep apnea in a patient, the tissue retractor comprising:
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a) a flexible shaft configured for transmucosal insertion into a tongue of the patient; b) a retractor member connected at or near a first end of the flexible shaft, and c) an anchor member connected at or near a second end of the flexible shaft, wherein at least one of the retractor member or the anchor member is configured to be positioned on an external surface of the patient'"'"'s tongue, and neither the retractor member nor the anchor member are configured to be tethered to bone, such that a tension from the flexible shaft is configured to exert an amount of pressure sufficient to prevent at least a portion of the patient'"'"'s tongue from collapsing toward a soft tissue located in an oral cavity or a pharynx of the patient when the patient'"'"'s tongue is relaxed during sleep but permit flexing of the patient'"'"'s tongue by not impairing normal movement of the patient'"'"'s tongue during speech and swallowing, the tissue retractor further configured for at least one of removal, reinsertion, or subsequent retensioning by adjustment of the tissue retractor by the patient for effectiveness and comfort. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38)
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39. A tissue retractor for treatment of sleep apnea in a patient that prevents deformation of a soft tissue located in an oral cavity or a pharynx of the patient, the tissue retractor comprising:
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a) a flexible shaft configured for transmucosal insertion into the soft tissue; b) a retractor member connected at or near a first end of the flexible shaft; and c) an anchor member connected at or near a second end of the flexible shaft, wherein the retractor member and the anchor member are configured to maintain a position on an external surface of the soft tissue, and neither the retractor member nor the anchor member are configured to be tethered to bone, such that a tension from the flexible shaft is configured to exert an amount of pressure sufficient to prevent deformation of the external surface of the soft tissue when a tongue of the patient is relaxed during sleep but permit flexing of the patient'"'"'s tongue by not impairing normal movement of the patient'"'"'s tongue during speech and swallowing, the tissue retractor further configured for at least one of removal, reinsertion, or subsequent retensioning by adjustment of the tissue retractor by the patient for effectiveness and comfort. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41)
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42. A method for treatment of a breathing disorder in a patient, the method comprising:
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a) inserting a flexible shaft into a soft tissue located in an oral cavity or a pharynx of the patient; b) connecting a retractor member at or near a first end of the flexible shaft; and c) connecting an anchor member at or near a second end of the flexible shaft, forming a connected retractor member, flexible shaft, and anchor member, wherein each of the flexible shaft, the retractor member, and the anchor member contact solely soft tissue, neither the retractor member nor the anchor member are configured to be tethered to bone, and the shaft, the retractor member, and the anchor member interact such that a tension from the flexible shaft is configured to exert an amount of pressure sufficient to prevent deformation of an external surface of the soft tissue when a tongue of the patient is relaxed during sleep but permit flexing of the patient'"'"'s tongue by not impairing normal movement of the patient'"'"'s tongue during speech and swallowing, the connected retractor member, flexible shaft, and anchor member further configured for at least one of removal, reinsertion, or subsequent retensioning by adjustment of the connected retractor member, flexible shaft, and anchor member by the patient for effectiveness and comfort. - View Dependent Claims (43)
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- 44. A device for treatment of a breathing disorder in a patient, the device having a first end, a second end, and a shaft disposed therebetween, the shaft is flexible and adapted for transmucosal insertion through a soft tissue located in an oral cavity or a pharynx of the patient, with at least one of the first end and the second end configured to maintain a position on an external surface of the soft tissue with each of the first end and the second end configured to contact solely the soft tissue, and such that a tension from the shaft is configured exert an amount of pressure sufficient to prevent deformation of at least a portion of the soft tissue to prevent obstruction in an airway of the patient when a tongue of the patient is relaxed during sleep but permit flexing of the patient'"'"'s tongue by not impairing normal movement of the patient'"'"'s tongue during speech and swallowing, the tissue retractor further configured for at least one of removal, reinsertion, or subsequent retensioning by adjustment of the device by the patient for effectiveness and comfort.
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46. A method for treatment of at least one of snoring and sleep apnea in a patient that prevents a deformation of a mucosa covering a soft tissue located in an oral cavity or a pharynx of the patient, the method comprising:
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a) inserting a flexible shaft into a tongue of the patient, a first end of the flexible shaft is connected at or near a base of the patient'"'"'s tongue, and a second end of the flexible shaft is connected at or near a frenulum of the patient; b) positioning a retractor member at or near the first end adjacent the base of the patient'"'"'s tongue; and c) positioning an anchor member at or near the second end adjacent the patient'"'"'s frenulum, forming a connected retractor member, flexible shaft, and anchor member, wherein neither the retractor member nor the anchor member are configured to be tethered to bone, and the retractor member is positioned on an external surface of the patient'"'"'s tongue, and the flexible shaft, the retractor member and the anchor member interact such that a tension from the flexible shaft is configured to exert an amount of pressure sufficient to prevent deformation of an external surface of the soft tissue when the patient'"'"'s tongue is relaxed during sleep but permit flexing of the patient'"'"'s tongue by not impairing normal movement of the patient'"'"'s tongue during speech and swallowing, the connected retractor member, flexible shaft, and anchor member further configured for at least one of removal, reinsertion, or subsequent retensioning by adjustment of the connected retractor member, flexible shaft, and anchor member by the patient for effectiveness and comfort.
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Specification