The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 12, 2000
Filed:
Mar. 15, 1999
David C Hovda, Mountain View, CA (US);
Jean Woloszko, San Diego, CA (US);
Maria B Ellsberry, Fremont, CA (US);
Hira V Thapliyal, Los Altos, CA (US);
Philip E Eggers, Dublin, OH (US);
ArthoCare Corporation, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Abstract
The present invention provides systems and methods for selectively applying electrical energy to a target location within the head and neck of a patient's body, particularly including tissue in the ear, nose and throat. The present invention includes a channeling technique in which small holes or channels are formed within tissue structures in the mouth, such as the tonsils, tongue, palate and uvula, and thermal energy is applied to the tissue surface immediately surrounding these holes or channels to cause thermal damage to the tissue surface, thereby stiffening the surrounding tissue structure. Applicant has discovered that such stiffening of certain tissue structures in the mouth and throat helps to prevent the tissue structure from obstructing the patient's upper airway during sleep.