Percutaneous access for systems and methods of treating sleep-related disordered breathing
First Claim
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1. A method comprising:
- positioning a stimulation electrode portion within a head-and-neck portion to establish engagement of an electrode array of the stimulation electrode portion against a target portion of an upper-airway-patency-related nerve;
securing the stimulation electrode portion, via a non-nerve securing structure, to non-nerve surrounding tissue to maintain the engagement of the electrode array relative to the target portion;
delaying deployment of an anchor mechanism including the non-nerve securing structure, during the positioning of the electrode array, via covering the anchoring mechanism on a second portion of the stimulation electrode portion via an introduction tool while also exposing the electrode array on a first portion of the stimulation electrode portion to the target portion of the upper-airway-patency-related nerve; and
upon conclusion of the positioning of the electrode array at an identified target stimulation site, engaging non-nerve surrounding tissue via deployment of the anchor mechanism by withdrawing the introduction tool to cause the anchor mechanism to implement the securing of the stimulation electrode portion relative to the non-nerve surrounding tissue.
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Abstract
Systems and methods are described and illustrated for percutaneously implanting a stimulation lead for treating sleep-related disordered breathing.
284 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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positioning a stimulation electrode portion within a head-and-neck portion to establish engagement of an electrode array of the stimulation electrode portion against a target portion of an upper-airway-patency-related nerve; securing the stimulation electrode portion, via a non-nerve securing structure, to non-nerve surrounding tissue to maintain the engagement of the electrode array relative to the target portion; delaying deployment of an anchor mechanism including the non-nerve securing structure, during the positioning of the electrode array, via covering the anchoring mechanism on a second portion of the stimulation electrode portion via an introduction tool while also exposing the electrode array on a first portion of the stimulation electrode portion to the target portion of the upper-airway-patency-related nerve; and upon conclusion of the positioning of the electrode array at an identified target stimulation site, engaging non-nerve surrounding tissue via deployment of the anchor mechanism by withdrawing the introduction tool to cause the anchor mechanism to implement the securing of the stimulation electrode portion relative to the non-nerve surrounding tissue. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method comprising:
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selectively initially positioning an electrode array of a stimulation electrode portion along a length of a target portion of an upper-airway-patency-related nerve, while stimulating the nerve, to identify a target stimulation site; upon final positioning at an identified target stimulation site, utilizing an anchor mechanism including a non-nerve securing structure to secure the stimulation electrode portion to non-nerve surrounding tissue to maintain the engagement of the electrode array relative to the target stimulation site; during the initial positioning of the electrode array, delaying utilization of the anchor mechanism via covering the anchoring mechanism on a second portion of the stimulation electrode portion via an introduction tool while also exposing the electrode array on a first portion of the stimulation electrode portion to the target portion of the upper-airway-patency-related nerve; and upon the final positioning of the electrode array at the identified target stimulation site, withdrawing the introduction tool to enable utilization of the non-nerve securing structure of the anchor mechanism to implement the securing of the stimulation electrode portion relative to the non-nerve surrounding tissue. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method comprising:
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arranging an electrode array on a front face of a stimulation electrode portion and arranging an opposite back face of the stimulation electrode portion to include a selectively deployable anchor mechanism; selectively initially positioning the electrode array of the stimulation electrode portion along a length of a target portion of an upper-airway-patency-related nerve, while stimulating the nerve, to identify a target stimulation site; delaying deployment of the anchor mechanism, during the initial positioning of the electrode array, via covering the anchoring mechanism on the opposite back face of the stimulation electrode portion via an introduction tool while also exposing the electrode array on the front face of the stimulation electrode portion to the target portion of the upper-airway-patency-related nerve; and upon final positioning of the electrode array at an identified target stimulation site, engaging non-nerve surrounding tissue via deployment of the anchor mechanism by withdrawing the introduction tool to cause the anchor mechanism to secure the stimulation electrode portion relative to the non-nerve surrounding tissue to maintain the engagement of the electrode array relative to the target stimulation site. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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Specification