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US 2015/0088166 A1Published application
Surgical procedure and related apparatus for treating sleep apnea by lifting, suspending and stiffening the soft palate
AssigneeZelegent, Inc.
InventorsYosef P. KRESPI, David VOLPI
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and apparatuses for lifting, suspending and stiffening a patient's tissue are disclosed. In an embodiment, a method of lifting and stiffening a patient's tissue includes inserting at least one suture into the patient's tissue in a first direction, pulling the suture in a second direction so as to lift and suspend the tissue in a lifted position and stiffen the tissue in the lifted position, and cutting the suture so that the tissue remains in the lifted position. Preferably, the patient's tissue is the patient's soft palate.
Claims29
1:
- A method of lifting and stiffening a patient's tissue, comprising:
- inserting at least one suture into the patient's tissue in a first direction;
- pulling the suture in a second direction so as to lift and suspend the tissue in a lifted position and stiffen the tissue in the lifted position;
- and
- cutting the suture so that the tissue remains in the lifted position.
2 more elements
2:
- The method of claim 1, wherein the patient's tissue is the patient's soft palate.
3:
- The method of claim 2, wherein inserting the at least one suture into the patient's soft palate includes inserting the at least one suture proximal to a midline of the patient's soft palate.
4:
- The method of claim 2, wherein inserting the at least one suture into the patient's soft palate includes inserting the at least one suture into the patient's soft palate and uvula.
5:
- The method of claim 4, wherein pulling the suture includes lifting, suspending and stiffening the patient's uvula.
6:
- The method of claim 2, further including enabling the suture to dissolve in the patient's soft palate.
(canceled)
8:
- The method of claim 2, wherein inserting the at least one suture into the patient's soft palate includes inserting the at least one suture with a needle.
9:
- The method of claim 2, wherein inserting the at least one suture into the patient's soft palate includes inserting the at least one suture with a suture insertion device, and further including releasing the suture continuously from the suture insertion device.
(canceled)
11:
- A method of lifting and stiffening a patient's tissue, comprising:
- loading a suture onto a piercing shaft of a suture insertion device;
- inserting the piercing shaft into the patient's tissue in a first direction;
- releasing the suture from the piercing shaft;
- withdrawing the piercing shaft from the patient's tissue;
- and
- pulling the suture in a second direction so as to lift, suspend and stiffen the tissue.
4 more elements
12:
- The method of claim 11, wherein inserting the piercing shaft into the patient's tissue includes inserting the piercing shaft into the patient's soft palate.
(canceled)
14:
- The method of claim 11, wherein loading the suture onto the piercing shaft includes clamping the suture to the suture insertion device.
15:
- The method of claim 14, wherein releasing the suture from the piercing shaft includes unclamping the suture.
16:
- The method of claim 11, wherein loading the suture onto the piercing shaft includes twisting the suture.
17:
- The method of claim 11, wherein loading the suture onto the piercing shaft includes attaching the suture to an insertion shaft within the piercing shaft.
18-19. (canceled)
20:
- The method of claim 12, wherein inserting the piercing shaft into the patient's soft palate includes inserting a piercing end of the piercing shaft so that the piercing end extends to almost a tip of a uvula.
(canceled)
22:
- A suture insertion device, comprising:
- a body;
- and
- a piercing shaft connected to the body, the piercing shaft including a piercing end, the piercing shaft configured to pierce a patient's tissue with the piercing end and insert a suture into the patient's tissue in a first direction, wherein the piercing shaft is further configured to release the suture into the patient's tissue such that the suture can be pulled in a second direction to lift, suspend and stiffen the patient's tissue once the piercing shaft is removed from the patient's tissue.
1 more element
23-27. (canceled)
28:
- The suture insertion device of claim 22, further including an insertion shaft, the insertion shaft configured to release the suture from the piercing shaft.
(canceled)
31:
- The suture insertion device of claim 22, further including a clamp configure to clamp the suture to the body for prior to the piercing shaft being inserted into the patient's tissue and release the suture from the body after the piercing shaft is inserted into the patient's tissue.
32:
- The suture insertion device of claim 22, further including a twisting device.
(canceled)
34:
- The suture insertion device of claim 22, wherein the piercing shaft is curved to match the curvature of the patient's soft palate.
35-60. (canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.