Systems and methods to improve sleep disordered breathing using closed-loop feedback

A method of treating a patient having an airway with a reduced volume during sleep with a neuromodulation system at least partially implanted in the patient, the method comprising:

• titrating stimulation energy to be delivered to at least one target nerve or target muscle using an electrode of the neuromodulation system, wherein titrating the stimulation energy comprises:
• delivering the stimulation energy with an initial parameter to the at least one target nerve or target muscle using an electrode of the neuromodulation system;
• obtaining evoked electromyography (eEMG) data using a sensor of the neuromodulation system, the eEMG data characterizing activity of an airway muscle associated with patency of the airway in response to the stimulation energy;
• based on the eEMG data, characterizing an increase in a volume of the airway in response to the stimulation energy;
• and
• based on the increase in the volume of the airway, determining a therapeutic parameter of the stimulation energy, the therapeutic parameter being associated with a desired increase in the volume of the airway in response to the stimulation energy;
• and
• while the patient is asleep, delivering the stimulation energy with the therapeutic parameter to the at least one target nerve or target muscle using the neuromodulation system to produce the desired increase in the volume of the airway, thereby improving airflow through the airway.

A system for treating a patient having an airway with a reduced volume during sleep, the system comprising:

• an electrode configured to be implanted proximate at least one target nerve or target muscle of the patient;
• a sensor configured to be implanted proximate an airway muscle associated with patency of the airway;
• and
• a computing device comprising:
• a non-transitory memory storing instructions;
• and
• a processor configured to access the non-transitory memory and execute the instructions to at least:
• cause the electrode to deliver stimulation energy with an initial parameter to the at least one target nerve or target muscle,
• cause the sensor to obtain evoked electromyography (eEMG) data characterizing activity of the airway muscle in response to the stimulation energy,
• based on the eEMG data, characterize an increase in a volume of the airway in response to the stimulation energy,
• based on the increase in the volume of the airway, determining a therapeutic parameter of the stimulation energy, the therapeutic parameter being associated with a desired increase in the volume of the airway in response to the stimulation energy, and
• while the patient is asleep, cause the electrode to deliver the stimulation energy with the therapeutic parameter to the at least one target nerve or target muscle to produce the desired increase in the volume of the airway, thereby improving airflow through the airway.

A method of treating a patient having an airway with a reduced volume during sleep with a neuromodulation system at least partially implanted in the patient, the method comprising:

• titrating stimulation energy to be delivered to at least one target nerve or target muscle using an electrode of the neuromodulation system, wherein titrating the stimulation energy comprises:
• delivering the stimulation energy with an initial parameter to the at least one target nerve or target muscle using an electrode of the neuromodulation system;
• obtaining evoked electromyography (eEMG) data using a sensor of the neuromodulation system, the eEMG data characterizing activity of an airway muscle associated with patency of the airway in response to the stimulation energy;
• comparing the eEMG data to reference data associated with a desired volume of the airway;
• and
• based on the comparison, determining a therapeutic parameter of the stimulation energy;
• and
• while the patient is asleep, delivering the stimulation energy with the therapeutic parameter to the at least one target nerve or target muscle using the neuromodulation system to cause activity of the airway muscle associated with the desired volume of the airway, thereby improving airflow through the airway.