Method and apparatus to treat conditions of the naso-pharyngeal area
AssigneeRestore Medical, Inc.
InventorsMark B. Knudson, Katherine S. Tweden, Timothy R. Conrad
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A patient's upper airway condition such as snoring and sleep apnea is treated by selecting a particulate material selected for limited migration within tissue and for encouraging a fibrotic response of tissue to the material. A bolus of the particulate material is injected into the tissue area to structurally stiffen the tissue.
Claims11
A method for treating an upper airway condition of a patient, said method comprising:
- selecting a particulate material selected for limited migration within tissue and for encouraging a fibrotic response of tissue to said material;
- injecting a bolus of said particulate material into said tissue area to alter said dynamic response.
An apparatus for treating snoring of a patient suffering from snoring attributable, at in least in part, to a snoring sound generating oscillation of a soft tissue area of said patient in response to airflow past said soft tissue area and where said soft tissue area has a characteristic dynamic response to said airflow prior to treatment, said apparatus comprising:
- an implant of biocompatible material sized to be embedded within said soft tissue area;
- said implant selected to have a stiffness to stiffen said soft tissue area after implantation to alter said dynamic response without substantially impairing a function of said soft tissue area;
- said implant including a bolus of particulate matter deposited into said soft tissue area with said particulate matter selected induce a fibrotic response to stiffen said soft tissue area.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.