Bone-anchored soft tissue suspension for tongue positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for treating snoring and sleep apnea by correcting tongue position often require general anesthesia, surface contact that increases contamination risk, and separate bone anchoring hardware, leading to inefficiencies and potential failure.
Innovation Solution
A bone-anchored soft tissue suspension system using a multi-prong, star-shaped metal alloy engagement piece attached to a thin cord, deployed through a predrilled bone channel in the mandible, allowing for subsurface tissue engagement and anchoring without external hardware, under local anesthesia, with a deployment mechanism that expands like an umbrella for enhanced tissue contact.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a multi-prong engagement piece is used for subsurface tissue engagement, then tissue trauma and contamination risk are reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The multi-prong engagement piece is nested within the deployment shaft during insertion, which itself passes through the trocar. Upon deployment, the prongs expand outward from the shaft to engage the tissue. This nesting approach allows the complex multi-prong structure to be delivered through a simple linear path while achieving the desired subsurface engagement configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The engagement device is segmented into multiple independent prongs that can be collapsed together for insertion and then expanded for tissue engagement. This segmentation allows the device to transition between a compact low-profile state during delivery and an expanded high-contact state during operation, reducing both tissue trauma and contamination risk while managing device complexity.
2Reliability
If separate bone anchoring hardware is used, then anchoring reliability is improved, but device complexity and number of components increase
Solution Approach 1:
The bone anchoring function is merged with the soft tissue engagement piece into a single integrated unit. The engagement piece includes both the multi-prong structure for soft tissue engagement and the bone anchoring capability, eliminating the need for separate bone anchoring hardware while maintaining anchoring reliability through the unified design.
Solution Approach 2:
The engagement piece is designed to perform multiple functions: it engages soft tissue through its multi-prong structure, provides bone anchoring capability, and maintains suspension function all in one component. This multi-functionality reduces the total number of components while ensuring reliable anchoring through the integrated design.
3Ease of operation
If general anesthesia is used for device placement, then patient comfort and procedural control are improved, but patient risk and recovery time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The procedural parameters have been changed to allow the device to be implanted under local anesthesia rather than general anesthesia. The simplified delivery system and integrated design enable the procedure to be performed with reduced patient risk while maintaining adequate procedural control through the streamlined deployment mechanism.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for anchoring soft tissue, such as a human tongue, to bone applied to minimizing snoring and sleep apnea in a human by properly positioning the tongue. A device is introduced through the patient's chin area through a drilled channel into the soft tissue of the tongue and then withdrawn in a manner whereby a portion of the device is secured to the patient's mandible by an engagement piece. A cord is utilized to apply tension to the engagement piece in a manner that allows for subsequent adjustment of tension on the engagement piece, both immediate and delayed.