Suture holes on a flexible implant
A device according to some embodiments may include an implant unit which may include a flexible carrier, an antenna arranged on the flexible carrier, at least one pair of modulation electrodes on the flexible carrier, at least one implantable circuit electrically connected to the at least one pair of modulation electrodes and the antenna; and at least one pair of suture holes passing through the flexible carrier. The at least one pair of suture holes may be arranged on the flexible carrier such that the flexible carrier may be configured to conform to tissue in a subject's body, and such that each suture hole of the at least one pair of suture holes may be positioned to allow suturing to tissue adjacent to the suture holes.
1. A device for treating sleep apnea, the device comprising:
a flexible carrier configured for implantation on a genioglossus muscle of a subject;
an antenna arranged on the flexible carrier;
at least one pair of modulation electrodes on the flexible carrier;
at least one implantable circuit electrically connected to the at least one pair of modulation electrodes and the antenna; and
at least one pair of suture holes passing through the flexible carrier, the at least one pair of suture holes being arranged on the flexible carrier such that the flexible carrier is configured to conform to portions of the genioglossus muscle, such that each suture hole of the at least one pair of suture holes is positioned to allow suturing to tissue of the genioglossus muscle adjacent to the suture hole,
wherein the flexible carrier is configured to position the modulation electrodes adjacent to terminal fibers of a hypoglossal nerve and to permit the modulation electrodes to modulate the terminal fibers when the flexible carrier is conformed to the portions of the genioglossus muscle.
2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one pair of suture holes includes a mesh material therein.
3. The device of claim 2 , wherein the mesh material is configured to capture a suture thread.
4. The device of claim 2 , wherein the mesh material is configured to permit tissue adjacent to the device to bond with the device.
5. The device of claim 2 , wherein the mesh material is encapsulated by a primary capsule.
6. The device of claim 5 , wherein the primary capsule comprises silicone.
7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one pair of suture holes is a first pair of suture holes, and wherein the device further comprises a second pair of suture holes.
8. The device of claim 7 , wherein the first pair of suture holes is positioned on a first end of the device, and the second pair of suture holes is positioned on a second, opposite end of the device.
9. The device of claim 7 , further comprising a first extension and a second extension, and wherein the first pair of suture holes is positioned on the first extension and the second pair of suture holes is positioned on the second extension, and wherein the first pair of suture holes is smaller in diameter than the second pair of suture holes, and the first pair of suture holes are positioned on the first extension such that when the flexible carrier conforms to tissue in the subject's body, the first pair of suture holes is located across from the second pair of suture holes through intervening tissue therebetween.
10. The device of claim 1 , further comprising an extension portion, wherein the at least one pair of suture holes is positioned on the extension portion.
11. The device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one pair of suture holes includes a first suture hole having a minor dimension less than about 2 mm and a second suture hole having a minor dimension of at least 3.75 mm, wherein the first suture hole is positioned on the device such that when the flexible carrier conforms to tissue in the subject's body, the first suture hole is positioned across from the second suture hole through intervening tissue therebetween.
12. A device for treating sleep apnea, the device comprising:
a flexible carrier configured for implantation on a genioglossus muscle of a subject;
an antenna arranged on the flexible carrier;
at least one pair of modulation electrodes on the flexible carrier;
at least one implantable circuit electrically connected to the at least one pair of modulation electrodes and the antenna; and
at least one pair of suture holes passing through the flexible carrier, the at least one pair of suture holes being arranged on the flexible carrier such that the flexible carrier is configured to conform to portions of the genioglossus muscle, such that each suture hole of the at least one pair of suture holes is positioned to allow suturing to tissue of the genioglossus muscle adjacent to the suture hole,
wherein the flexible carrier includes a first portion configured to extend on one side of the genioglossus muscle and a second portion configured to extend on an opposite side of the genioglossus muscle when the flexible carrier is configured to at least partially wrap around the genioglossus muscle.