Tongue implant for sleep apnea
View Patent ↗A patient's obstructive sleep apnea is treated by identifying a patient with sleep apnea attributable at least in part to movement of a base of a tongue of said patient toward a pharyngeal wall of said patient. The method includes identifying a region in the tongue extending from a mandibular-geniohyoid interface to the base of the tongue and stiffening a tissue of the tongue throughout the identified region.
1. A method for treating obstructive sleep apnea comprising:
identifying a patient with sleep apnea attributable at least in part to movement of a base of a tongue of said patient toward a pharyngeal wall of said patient;
providing an implant of fibrosis-inducing material;
identifying a region in the tongue extending from a mandibular-geniohyoid interface to the base of the tongue;
stiffening a tissue of the tongue throughout the identified region by inducing the formation of fibrosis along said region, wherein said stiffening includes:
i) inserting a tool within an opening formed in a proximal end of the implant;
ii) placing the implant of fibrosis-inducing material within the tongue; and
iii) actuating the tool when the implant is placed within the tongue such that the implant expands from a compact configuration to an expanded configuration.
2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the identified region includes an area of the base of the tongue opposing the pharyngeal wall between an epiglottis and a trailing end of a soft palate.
3. A method according to claim 1 wherein the identified region includes an area of the base of the tongue between lateral extremities of the base of the tongue.
4. A method according to claim 1 wherein the fibrosis-inducing material of the implant extends throughout said region.
5. A method according to claim 4 wherein said implant is sized for said region to extend substantially between an epiglottis and a soft palate of the patient at the base of the tongue.
6. A method according to claim 5 wherein said implant is a substantially planar sheet when placed in the tongue with a narrow dimension extending transverse to the tongue and having a proximal end within said region at said mandibular-geniohyoid interface and with a distal end within the tongue at the base and extending between the epiglottis and the soft palate.
7. A method according to claim 1 wherein said material is selected for said implant to contract and expand with the tongue as the tongue heals.