Neck collar for treatment of sleep apnea
AssigneeMorpheus Medical Solutions, LLC
InventorsVance D. Bachelder, Jose Carrillo, III
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A collar for prevention of sleep apnea is disclosed. An illustrative collar includes upper and lower portions to provide a comfortable and generally air-sealed interface to the upper neck and jaw, and lower neck and chest, respectively, of the patient. In between, an intermediate section defines a chamber over the anterior neck to which negative pressure is applied, drawing tissue forward and away from the patient's airway, improving air flow for the patient and preventing sleep apnea.
Claims19
A collar for the treatment of sleep apnea comprising:
- a first end having a portion made of a soft, flexible material to provide a seal against the skin of the patient near the chin;
- a second end having a portion made of a soft, flexible material to provide a seal against the skin of the patient near the base of the neck;
- and
- a body between the first and second ends, the body having an inner wall for defining a chamber about the neck of the patient and at least one air channel associated with a first port in the inner wall.
A method of treating a patient having a breathing disorder comprising:
- applying a collar to the patient's neck;
- and
- applying negative air pressure to the patient's neck via the collar.
A method of treating a patient comprising making a collar to prevent sleep apnea by:
- obtaining one or more images of a region of the patient including the neck;
- and
- making a collar for treating sleep apnea using the obtained images to construct a collar having an upper end to provide an airtight and comfortable seal at the upper neck and/or jaw of the patient and a lower end to provide an airtight and comfortable seal at the base of the neck of the patient, with an intermediate section therebetween defining a chamber for applying negative pressure to the patient's anterior neck.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.