Methods for treatment of sleep apnea

• US 9,415,215 B2
• Filed: 10/16/2015
• Issued: 08/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nyxoah SA
• Original Assignee: Nyxoah SA
• Inventors: Mashiach, Adi
• Primary Examiner(s): Koharski, Christopher D
• Assistant Examiner(s): CAREY, MICHAEL JAMES
• Application Number:
  US14/884,964
• Publication Number:
  US 20160030739A1
• Time in Patent Office: 305 Days
• Field of Search: 607/61, 607/134, 607/118
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/164 the sensor is mounted in or on a conformable substrate or carrier
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4818 Sleep apnoea
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/682 Mouth, e.g., oral cavity; tongue; Lips; Teeth
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6822 Neck
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0526 Head electrodes A61N1/0551 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0551 Spinal or peripheral nerve electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36003 of motor muscles, e.g. for walking assistance
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3601 of respiratory organs
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3611 Respiration control stimulating respiratory organs A61N1/3601
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37211 Means for communicating with stimulators
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37223 Circuits for electromagnetic coupling
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37229 Shape or location of the implanted or external antenna
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3756 Casings with electrodes thereon, e.g. leadless stimulators
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3787 from an external energy source

Abstract

A method for delivering energy as a function of degree coupling may utilize an external unit configured for location external to a body of a subject and at least one processor associated with the implant unit and configured for electrical communication with a power source. The method may determine a degree of coupling between the primary antenna and a secondary antenna associated with the implant unit, and regulate delivery of power to the implant unit based on the degree of coupling between the primary antenna and the secondary antenna.

Claims

1. A method for treating sleep apnea, the method comprising:

receiving a modulation signal at an implant unit implanted at an internal location on an underside of a subject'"'"'s chin;

applying the modulation signal to at least one pair of electrodes associated with the implant unit to generate an electric field; and

causing modulation of a hypoglossal nerve of the subject in response to the electric field generated by the at least one pair of electrodes, wherein the modulation of the hypoglossal nerve is confined to a medial branch of the hypoglossal nerve and initiated from a single modulation site along the medial branch.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the modulation site is at a location along the hypoglossal nerve distal of a terminal bifurcation of the hypoglossal nerve into lateral and medial branches.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one pair of electrodes are configured so as to cause substantially no modulation of the lateral branch of the subject'"'"'s hypoglossal nerve.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one pair of electrodes are configured for location adjacent to a horizontal compartment of a genioglossus muscle.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one pair of electrodes cause modulation of terminal fibers of the medial branch of the subject'"'"'s hypoglossal nerve.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving the modulation signal via an antenna associated with the implant unit.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating the modulation signal via at least one processor associated with a power source.

8. A method for treating sleep apnea, the method comprising:

receiving a modulation signal at an implant unit implanted in a vicinity of a genioglossus muscle of a subject;

applying the modulation signal to at least one pair of electrodes associated with the implant unit to generate an electric field at a modulation site, wherein the modulation site is at a location along a hypoglossal nerve distal of a terminal bifurcation of the hypoglossal nerve into lateral and medial branches; and

causing contractions of the genioglossus muscle in response to the electric field without causing contractions of hyoglossus, geniohyoid, or styloglossus muscles of the subject.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the at least one pair of electrodes are configured so as to cause contractions of the genioglossus muscle via modulation of the medial branch of the subject'"'"'s hypoglossal nerve and to cause substantially no modulation of the lateral branch of the subject'"'"'s hypoglossal nerve.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the at least one pair of electrodes are configured for location adjacent to a horizontal compartment of the genioglossus muscle.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the at least one pair of electrodes cause the contractions of the genioglossus muscle via modulation of terminal fibers of the medial branch of the subject'"'"'s hypoglossal nerve.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising receiving the modulation signal via an antenna associated with the implant unit.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising generating the modulation signal via at least one processor associated with a power source.

14. A method for treating sleep apnea, the method comprising:

receiving a modulation signal at an implant unit implanted at an internal location on an underside of a subject'"'"'s chin;

applying the modulation signal to at least one pair of electrodes associated with the implant unit, wherein the electrodes of the implant unit are located along a medial branch of the subject'"'"'s hypoglossal nerve proximate to terminal fibers of the medial branch; and

causing modulation of the hypoglossal nerve of the subject, from a single location along the medial branch, in response to application of the modulation signal to the at least one pair of electrodes.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the the electrodes are located along the hypoglossal nerve distal of a terminal bifurcation of the hypoglossal nerve into lateral and medial branches.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the at least one pair of electrodes are configured so as to cause substantially no modulation of a lateral branch of the subject'"'"'s hypoglossal nerve.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the at least one pair of electrodes are configured for location adjacent to a horizontal compartment of a genioglossus muscle.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising receiving the modulation signal via an antenna associated with the implant unit.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising generating the modulation signal via at least one processor associated with a power source.

20. The method of claim 14, further comprising causing contractions of a genioglossus muscle of the subject in response to the modulation of the medial branch.