Method of stimulating a hypoglossal nerve for controlling the position of a patient's tongue
First Claim
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1. A method comprising:
- providing an electrode having a plurality of contacts configured to be implanted into a patient to electrically couple the plurality of contacts to a Hypoglossal nerve;
providing an implantable pulse generator (IPG) configured to be implanted into the patient, the IPG being electronically coupled to the electrode; and
programming the IPG to apply, without taking into account a timing of respiration, at least two electric signals via the plurality of the contacts to at least two targeted motor efferent groups located within the Hypoglossal nerve in a nearly continuous sequence or interleaving pattern to share a stimulation load of the plurality of contacts.
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Abstract
A method for controlling a position of a patient'"'"'s tongue includes attaching at least one electrode to the patient'"'"'s Hypoglossal nerve and applying an electric signal through the electrode to at least one targeted motor efferent located within the Hypoglossal nerve to stimulate at least one muscle of the tongue. Methods may also include the use of more than one contact to target more than one motor efferent and stimulating more than one muscle. The stimulation load to maintain the position of the tongue may be shared by each muscle. The position of the patient'"'"'s tongue may be controlled in order to prevent obstructive sleep apnea.
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Citations
9 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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providing an electrode having a plurality of contacts configured to be implanted into a patient to electrically couple the plurality of contacts to a Hypoglossal nerve; providing an implantable pulse generator (IPG) configured to be implanted into the patient, the IPG being electronically coupled to the electrode; and programming the IPG to apply, without taking into account a timing of respiration, at least two electric signals via the plurality of the contacts to at least two targeted motor efferent groups located within the Hypoglossal nerve in a nearly continuous sequence or interleaving pattern to share a stimulation load of the plurality of contacts. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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Specification