Method and device for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea and snoring

1. An implantable tissue retractor for treatment of a breathing disorder, the implantable tissue retractor comprising:

a linear shaft adapted to be disposed in a soft tissue located in a patient's oral cavity or pharynx;

a retractor member connected at or near a first end of the shaft; and

an anchor member connected at or near a second end of the shaft,

wherein the implantable tissue retractor is configured to be totally implanted within the soft tissue and engage only the soft tissue,

wherein the implantable tissue retractor is adapted to exert a counterforce on the soft tissue sufficient to prevent a deformation of at least a portion of the soft tissue while allowing the shaft to stretch when subjected to a predetermined force exerted on the implantable tissue retractor by the soft tissue, and

the counterforce is between 0.1 grams per cm 2 and 100 grams per cm 2 .

2. The implantable tissue retractor of claim 1 , wherein the shaft, the retractor member and the anchor member are integrally formed to form a single continuous flexible structure.

3. The implantable tissue retractor of claim 1 , wherein the retractor member, the anchor member, and the shaft are flexible.

4. The implantable tissue retractor of claim 1 , wherein the shaft is 0.1 mm to 20 cm long.

5. The implantable tissue retractor of claim 1 , wherein the shaft is 1 mm to 10 cm long.

6. The implantable tissue retractor of claim 1 , wherein the shaft is 1 cm to 5 cm long.

7. The implantable tissue retractor of claim 1 , wherein the shaft is 2 cm long.

8. The implantable tissue retractor of claim 1 , wherein the anchor member is configured to be embedded in the genioglossus muscle.

9. The implantable tissue retractor of claim 1 , wherein the soft tissue is a tongue.

10. The implantable tissue retractor of claim 1 , wherein the retractor member comprises a bioabsorbable material.

11. The implantable tissue retractor of claim 1 , wherein the shaft is configured to be implanted in the soft tissue located in the patient's oral cavity or pharynx that relaxes during sleep and/or a muscle that remains active during sleep, and

the implantable tissue retractor is configured for the retractor member to be implanted in the soft tissue, for the anchor member to be implanted in the muscle, and for the shaft to be implanted through the soft tissue and/or the muscle, wherein the soft tissue is mechanically coupled to the muscle to actively retract the soft tissue.