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:
- inserting a visualization device into the patient'"'"'s upper airway to evaluate a tissue linkage between the patient'"'"'s genioglossus and at least one of the patient'"'"'s soft palate and the patient'"'"'s lateral pharyngeal walls;
documenting a degree of tissue redundancy in said tissue linkage; and
receiving a criterion, the criterion concerning the patient'"'"'s suitability for the upper airway stimulation therapy.
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Accused Products
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.
366 Citations
21 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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inserting a visualization device into the patient'"'"'s upper airway to evaluate a tissue linkage between the patient'"'"'s genioglossus and at least one of the patient'"'"'s soft palate and the patient'"'"'s lateral pharyngeal walls; documenting a degree of tissue redundancy in said tissue linkage; 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)
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8. A method of assessing a patient'"'"'s suitability for an upper airway stimulation therapy, the method comprising:
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inserting a visualization device into the patient'"'"'s upper airway to evaluate a tissue linkage between the patient'"'"'s genioglossus and at least one of the patient'"'"'s soft palate and the patient'"'"'s lateral pharyngeal walls; documenting a tissue redundancy presence in said tissue linkage; and receiving a criterion, the criterion concerning the patient'"'"'s suitability for the upper airway stimulation therapy. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. 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 at least a portion of a tissue linkage between the patient'"'"'s genioglossus and at least one of the patient'"'"'s soft palate and the patient'"'"'s lateral pharyngeal walls; recording a tissue redundancy exhibited by said tissue linkage; and generating a record of said recordings, wherein the record includes a characterization of said tissue redundancy, 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 (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification