Tongue advancer system for use in a tongue manipulation system
AssigneeKoninklijke Philips N.V.
InventorsPippinus Maarten Robertus WORTELBOER, Michel Paul Barbara VAN BRUGGEN
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Abstract
A tongue advancer system is for use in a tongue manipulation device, comprising a tissue anchor having a set of retractable fingers having a retracted configuration in which the tissue anchor is adapted to be loaded into a delivery tube and a deployed configuration in which the fingers are adapted for extending into tongue tissue in forward and lateral directions. The system further comprises a spacer which extends beyond the maximum forward extent of the retractable fingers. The spacer ensures that the fingers do not puncture the tongue surface.
Claims15
An implantable tongue advancer system for use in a tongue manipulation device, comprising:
- a tissue anchor comprising a set of retractable fingers having a retracted configuration in which the tissue anchor is adapted to be loaded into a delivery tube and a deployed configuration in which the fingers are adapted for extending into tongue tissue in forward and lateral directions;
- and
- a spacer which extends beyond the maximum forward extent of the retractable fingers.
A delivery tube for use in applying a tongue advancer system into the tongue, the tongue advancer system comprising a tissue anchor having a set of retractable fingers having a retracted configuration in which the tissue anchor is adapted to be loaded into the delivery tube and a deployed configuration in which the fingers are adapted for extending into tongue tissue in forward and lateral directions,
- wherein the delivery tube comprises a first section for insertion and removal from the tongue tissue and a second section at the remote end which:
- i) functions as a spacer which extends beyond the maximum forward extent of the retractable fingers, wherein the fingers are adapted to be able to pierce the spacer, or ii) is adapted to receive a spacer which extends beyond the maximum forward extent of the retractable fingers.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.