Apparatus, systems, and methods for constraining and/or supporting tissue structures along an airway

1. A system for supporting tissue structures away from an airway through a mouth during sleep, a floor of the mouth being defined anteriorly by a mandible; posteriorly by a hyoid; and including suprahyoid muscles attached to the mandible and/or hyoid, the tissue structures including a tongue within the mouth resting on suprahyoid muscles outside of the floor of the mouth, the system comprising

at least one scaffold structure sized and configured to be implanted outside the tongue between suprahyoid muscles in or on the floor of the mouth and/or outside the tongue between an extrinsic muscle of the tongue and a suprahyoid muscle in or on the floor of the mouth, the scaffold structure having an anterior region that, when implanted, faces the mandible, a posterior region that, when implanted, faces the hyoid, and an intermediate region that, when implanted, extends between the mandible and hyoid, the intermediate region comprising mechanical supporting means for bracing and resisting inward buckling of suprahyoid muscles in or on the floor of the mouth into the airway during sleep, whereby the mechanical supporting means creates a counter force that directs tissue structures out of the airway.

2. The system according to claim 1

wherein the mechanical supporting means is operative for preferentially bending the intermediate region, when implanted, in a caudal direction.

3. The system according to claim 1

further comprising means for attaching the scaffold structure to the mandible and/or the hyoid.

4. The system according to claim 1

wherein the mechanical supporting means is operative for shaping the intermediate region, when implanted, into a convex orientation facing the feet.

5. The system according to claim 1

wherein the mechanical supporting means is operative for shaping the intermediate region, when implanted, to extend longitudinally in an anterior-to-posterior direction.

6. The system according to claim 1

wherein the mechanical supporting means comprises a formed spring structure.

7. The system according to claim 1

wherein the mechanical supporting means includes electrically activated and/or thermally activated and/or magnetically activated material.

8. The system according to claim 1

wherein the mechanical supporting means includes a polymer, or metal, or fiber material, or combinations thereof.

9. The system according to claim 1 further comprising:

a prong structure extending from the posterior region of the scaffold structure into a posterior region of the tongue, the prong structure being sized and configured to obtain purchase in and apply an anterior force to the posterior region of the tongue, whereby, during sleep, while the mechanical supporting means braces and resists inward buckling of suprahyoid muscles in or on the floor of the mouth into an airway, the prong structure applies the anterior force to urge the posterior region of the tongue away from the airway.

10. The system according to claim 9

wherein the prong structure includes a pattern of upstanding fingers.

11. The system according to claim 10

wherein the pattern comprises a single row of upstanding fingers.

12. The system according to claim 10

wherein the pattern comprises more than a single row of upstanding fingers.

13. The system according to claim 1

wherein the mechanical supporting means is operative for shaping the intermediate region into an elongated body.

14. The system according to claim 1

wherein the scaffold structure is sized and configured for implantation between a mylohyoid muscle and a geniohyoid muscle in or on the floor of the mouth.

15. The system according to claim 1

wherein the scaffold structure is sized and configured for implantation between a geniohyoid muscle in or on the floor of the mouth and an extrinsic genioglossus muscle of the tongue.

16. The system according to claim 1

wherein the scaffold structure is sized and configured for implantation between a digastric muscle and a mylohyoid muscle.

17. A method for supporting tissue structures away from an airway through a mouth during sleep, a floor of the mouth being defined anteriorly by a mandible; posteriorly by a hyoid; and including suprahyoid muscles attached to the mandible and/or hyoid, the tissue structures including a tongue within the mouth resting on suprahyoid muscles outside of the floor of the mouth, the method comprising

providing a scaffold structure sized and configured for implantation outside the tongue between suprahyoid muscles in or on the floor of the mouth and/or outside the tongue between an extrinsic muscle of the tongue and a suprahyoid muscle in or on the floor of the mouth, the scaffold structure having an anterior region, a posterior region, and an intermediate region, and

implanting the scaffold structure outside the tongue between suprahyoid muscles in or on the floor of the mouth and/or outside the tongue between an extrinsic muscle of the tongue and a suprahyoid muscle in or on the floor of the mouth, with the anterior region facing the mandible, the posterior region facing the hyoid, and the intermediate region extending between the mandible and hyoid, whereby the scaffold structure braces and resists inward buckling of suprahyoid muscles in or on the floor of the mouth into the airway during sleep.

18. A method according to claim 17

wherein the implanting comprises implanting the scaffold structure between a mylohyoid muscle and a geniohyoid muscle in or on the floor of the mouth.

19. A method according to claim 17

wherein the implanting comprises implanting the scaffold structure between a geniohyoid muscle in or on the floor of the mouth and an extrinsic genioglossus muscle of the tongue.

20. A method according to claim 17

wherein the implanted comprises implanting the scaffold structure between a digastric muscle and a mylohyoid muscle.

21. A method according to claim 17

wherein providing the scaffold structure comprises providing the scaffold structure as defined in claim 17 and further including a prong structure extending from the posterior region of the scaffold structure toward a posterior region of the tongue, and

wherein the implanting includes implanting the scaffold structure as defined in claim 17 and further including implanting the prong structure to obtain purchase in and apply an anterior force to the posterior region of the tongue,

whereby, during sleep, while the scaffold structure braces and resists inward buckling of suprahyoid muscles in or on the floor of the mouth into the airway, the prong structure applies the anterior force to urge the posterior region of the tongue away from the airway.