Arced implant unit for modulation of nerves

• US 10,751,537 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2018
• Issued: 08/25/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nyxoah SA
• Original Assignee: Nyxoah SA
• Inventors: Mashiach, Adi, Mashiach, Itzik
• Primary Examiner(s): Lavert, Nicole F
• Application Number:
  US15/938,100
• Publication Number:
  US 20180280694A1
• Time in Patent Office: 881 Days
• Field of Search: 607 60
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0219 of externally powered implanted units
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/164 the sensor is mounted in or on a conformable substrate or carrier
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0031 Implanted circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/08 Detecting, measuring or recording devices for evaluating the respiratory organs A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/11 Measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof, e.g. head or hand tremor, mobility of a limb for measuring pulse A61B5/02 ;A61B5/1038 takes precedence; motion detection to correct for motion artifacts in physiological signals A61B5/721
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/113 occurring during breathing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/389 Electromyography [EMG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4519 Muscles A61B5/389, A61B5/224 take precedence
• 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: A61B 5/6833 Adhesive patches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6876 Blood vessel
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/566 Intra-oral devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0514 Electrodes for the urinary tract
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0526 Head electrodes A61N1/0551 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0553 Paddle shaped electrodes, e.g. for laminotomy
• 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 1/36057 adapted for stimulating afferent nerves
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3606 : adapted for a particular treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36075 : Headache or migraine
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3611 : Respiration control stimulating respiratory organs A61N1/3601
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36117 : for treating hypertension
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36135 : using physiological parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36139 : with automatic adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36146 : specified by the stimulation parameters
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2/006 : for magnetic stimulation of nerve tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2/02 : using magnetic fields produced by coils, including single turn loops or electromagnets A61N2/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 999/00 : dummy group
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 999/99 : dummy group

Abstract

An implant unit configured for implantation into a body of a subject is provided. The implant unit may include a flexible carrier unit including a central portion and two elongated arms extending from the central portion, an antenna, located on the central portion, configured to receive a signal, at least one pair of electrodes arranged on a first elongated arm of the two elongated arms. The at least one pair of electrodes may be adapted to modulate a first nerve. The elongated arms of the flexible carrier may be configured to form an open ended curvature around a muscle with the nerve to be stimulated within an arc of the curvature.

Claims

1. An implant unit configured for implantation into a body of a subject, comprising:

a flexible carrier unit including a central portion and two elongated arms extending from the central portion;

an antenna, located on the central portion, configured to receive a signal;

at least one pair of electrodes arranged on a first elongated arm of the two elongated arms, the at least one pair of electrodes being adapted to modulate a first nerve;

wherein the elongated arms of the flexible carrier are configured to form an open ended curvature around a muscle with the nerve to be stimulated within an arc of the curvature.

2. The implant unit of claim 1, further comprising a second pair of electrodes located on the second elongated arm, configured to modulate a second nerve.

3. The implant of claim 1, wherein the curvature of the flexible carrier includes a diameter at least 5 times a diameter of the nerve to be stimulated.

4. The implant unit of claim 2, wherein the first nerve is a left or right hypoglossal nerve and the second nerve is the other one of left or right hypoglossal nerve.

5. The implant unit of claim 1, further comprising a stiffening unit, wherein the flexible carrier unit is formed of a first material and the stiffening unit is formed of a second material stiffer than the first material, and

wherein the flexible carrier unit conforms to the shape of the stiffening unit.