Methods and systems for improving airway patency

Inventors

Vaska, Matthias • Podmore, Jonathan • CROWE, JOHN EDWARD • Daniel, Sean Christopher

Assignees

Somnics Inc

Abstract

Apparatuses and methods for improving airway patency are provided. A medial surface of the patient's tongue is constrained with a tongue constraint of an oral device placed in the oral cavity to generate a clear region between the medial surface and the hard palate. The clear region is in fluid communication with the soft palate. The tongue constraint has superior surface and inferior surfaces configured to generate the clear region. Negative pressure is applied within the oral cavity to hold the soft palate in a position in which the airway is at least partially open. The negative pressure is applied through one or more ports of the oral device. The one or more ports remain unobstructed by the tongue when the negative pressure is applied. The applied negative pressure causes the soft palate and tongue form a seal whereby the patient's airway is substantially fluidly isolated from the clear region.

Core Innovation

The invention improves airway patency in a patient having an oral cavity, a hard palate, a soft palate, a tongue, lips, and an airway by constraining a medial surface of the patient’s tongue with a tongue constraint of an oral device placed in the oral cavity. The tongue constraint generates a clear region between the medial surface and the hard palate, and the clear region is in fluid communication with the soft palate. The tongue constraint has superior surface and inferior surfaces configured to generate and maintain the clear region.

After the clear region is generated, negative pressure is applied within the oral cavity to hold the soft palate in a position in which the airway is at least partially open. The negative pressure is applied through one or more ports of the oral device, and the one or more ports remain unobstructed by the tongue when the negative pressure is applied. The applied negative pressure causes the soft palate and tongue to form a seal whereby the patient’s airway is substantially fluidly isolated from the clear region.

In an apparatus aspect, the invention provides an oral device positionable in the oral cavity with one or more ports through which negative pressure is applied. The oral device provides a continuous pathway for pressure delivery from the lips to the soft palate when placed in the oral cavity. The oral device is configured to apply negative pressure to generate a seal between the soft palate and a posterior region of the tongue to isolate the airway from the oral cavity, while a tongue constraint maintains a clear region between the medial region of the tongue and the hard palate.

Claims Coverage

The document provides two independent claims, a method claim and an apparatus claim. Across these claims, there are four inventive features: tongue constraint geometry that forms a clear region in fluid communication with the soft palate, application of negative pressure through unobstructed ports to cause a seal and substantially fluidly isolate the airway, an oral device with a continuous pressure pathway from the lips to the soft palate, and a seal between the soft palate and a posterior tongue region while maintaining the clear region.

The independent claims cover a method and an apparatus in which an oral device constrains the tongue to create a clear region between the medial tongue region and the hard palate, and negative pressure is applied through device ports so the soft palate and tongue form a seal that substantially fluidly isolates the airway from the clear region, with the apparatus emphasizing a continuous pressure pathway from the lips to the soft palate.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications