Screening devices and methods for obstructive sleep apnea therapy
First Claim
1. A method of assessing a patient'"'"'s suitability for an upper airway stimulation therapy, the method comprising:
- observing with an imaging device whether the patient'"'"'s airway experiences a collapse at the level of the patient'"'"'s soft palate, the collapse comprising at least one of (i) the patient'"'"'s soft palate moving towards the patient'"'"'s posterior pharyngeal wall and (ii) the patient'"'"'s left lateral pharyngeal wall moving towards the patient'"'"'s right lateral pharyngeal wall; and
receiving a criterion, the criterion concerning the patient'"'"'s suitability for the upper airway stimulation therapy.
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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
20 Claims
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1. A method of assessing a patient'"'"'s suitability for an upper airway stimulation therapy, the method comprising:
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observing with an imaging device whether the patient'"'"'s airway experiences a collapse at the level of the patient'"'"'s soft palate, the collapse comprising at least one of (i) the patient'"'"'s soft palate moving towards the patient'"'"'s posterior pharyngeal wall and (ii) the patient'"'"'s left lateral pharyngeal wall moving towards the patient'"'"'s right lateral pharyngeal wall; and receiving a criterion, the criterion concerning the patient'"'"'s suitability for the upper airway stimulation therapy. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of assessing a patient'"'"'s suitability for an upper airway stimulation therapy, the method comprising:
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recording with an imaging device a collapse of the patient'"'"'s airway, the collapse comprising movements of the patient'"'"'s soft palate towards the patient'"'"'s posterior pharyngeal wall and the patient'"'"'s left lateral pharyngeal wall towards the patient'"'"'s right lateral pharyngeal wall; recording a position of the patient'"'"'s tongue during the collapse; and generating a record of said recordings, wherein the record includes a magnitude of said movements, wherein the record is configured for comparison to a criterion, the criterion concerning the patient'"'"'s suitability for the upper airway stimulation therapy. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of assessing a patient'"'"'s suitability for an upper airway stimulation therapy, the method comprising:
providing a screening tool including a criterion, the criterion concerning the patient'"'"'s suitability for the upper airway stimulation therapy, wherein the criterion is configured for comparison to observations made with an imaging device of the patient'"'"'s airway during a collapse at the level of the patient'"'"'s soft palate, the collapse comprising movements of the patient'"'"'s soft palate towards the patient'"'"'s posterior pharyngeal wall and the patient'"'"'s left lateral pharyngeal wall towards the patient'"'"'s right lateral pharyngeal wall.
Specification