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:
Jan. 17, 2012
Filed:
Aug. 08, 2007
Michael Dineen, Portola Valley, CA (US);
Mark Hirotsuka, San Jose, CA (US);
Jasper Jackson, Newark, CA (US);
Damien Shulock, San Francisco, CA (US);
Andrew Frazier, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Chad Roue, San Jose, CA (US);
Erik Van Der Burg, Los Gatos, CA (US);
Michael Dineen, Portola Valley, CA (US);
Mark Hirotsuka, San Jose, CA (US);
Jasper Jackson, Newark, CA (US);
Damien Shulock, San Francisco, CA (US);
Andrew Frazier, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Chad Roue, San Jose, CA (US);
Erik van der Burg, Los Gatos, CA (US);
Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V, Eindhoven, NL;
Abstract
Embodiments of the present invention relate to methods and devices for the treatment of airway obstruction, such as obstructive sleep apnea, and devices and methods that facilitate insertion and retrieval of the same. In one embodiment, disclosed is a tissue tensioner that includes an elongate flexible tether having a first end and a second end, a bone anchor configured to be connected to a patient's mandible, a tissue ingrowth implant configured to be implanted in a patient's tongue and connected to the second end of the tether, and an adjustment mechanism configured to be held by the bone anchor adjacent the patient's mandible and configured to receive the first end of the tether and configured to adjust tension in the flexible tether between the patient's mandible and tongue. Various anchors, tethers, securement mechanisms, and adjustment mechanisms that can be used with glossal and palatal remodeling systems are also disclosed.