Nasopharyngeal device for obstructive sleep apnea syndrome

Abstract

The system and method for reducing or eliminating obstructive sleep apnea in patients with the use of a nasopharyngeal device. The nasopharyngeal device has an obturator including reversibly expandable projections located at a distal end and a guide portion on a proximal end. The reversibly expandable projections are adapted to maintain patency of the nasopharyngeal airway by advancing anteriorly the soft palate. The nasopharyngeal device also has a tube that has a proximal end, a distal end, and a passage through which at least a portion of the obturator may be inserted.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]The present application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14 / 621,722 filed on Feb. 13, 2015, which claims the benefit of Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61 / 939,759 filed Feb. 14, 2014, the disclosures of both of which are hereby incorporated by this reference, in their entirety.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention relates to the amelioration of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and more particularly to a nasopharyngeal device used to reduce or eliminate obstructive sleep apnea episodes.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome is characterized by obstruction to an individual's ability to breathe while sleeping and the two areas of obstruction are the soft palate and the base of the tongue.[0004]Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (“OSA”) affects millions of Americans and currently, the gold standard of treatment is continuous positive airway pressure (“CPAP”). Unfortunat...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0006]One aspect of the present invention is a nasopharyngeal device used to assist patients who suffer from OSA. An advantage of the design is that it is a non-intrusive nasal device that enables the patient to maintain patency of the nasopharyngeal airway by stenting open the palate, which, in the patient with OSA, would otherwise close upon laying down to sleep.

[0012]According to another aspect of the present invention, a method is provided for reducing obstructive sleep apnea with a nasopharyngeal device having a catheter and an obturator that is reversibly expandable at a distal end. The method includes: inserting the nasopharyngeal device into the nasopharyngeal airway; and advancing the obturator through the catheter thereby expanding the distal end and opening the airway.

[0020]In another embodiment, the nasopharyngeal device may include means for securing the obturator's position relative to the soft palate.

Problems solved by technology

Unfortunately, although CPAP is almost uniformly effective in terms of facilitating a patient's ability to breathe while they sleep, the obtrusive, claustrophobic nature of the various facial interfaces translates into many patients refusing to use the units at night.

Therefore, although CPAP therapy is effective, there is a very low long-term compliance seen in patients utilizing this modality of treatment.

No treatment has been found to be uniformly effective in ameliorating OSA.

Because of the dynamics of airway obstruction, predicting success with any one treatment plan has also proven to be difficult.

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