Patent ID: 6770022
Filing Date: 2004-08-03
Classification: A61N

Abstract:
A muscle stimulator adapted to treat a breathing disorder, said muscle stimulator comprising:a plurality of loops of electrical wire; a power supply that selectively provides electrical power to said plurality of loops to produce a magnetic field; a control unit that controls application of said electrical power from said power supply to said plurality of loops of electrical wire; a selectively attachable collar adapted to be worn by a patient such that said plurality of loops are positioned proximate to a neck of such a patient between a chin and a sternum and relative to at least one muscle group associated with a patient's upper airway; and an implantable, leadless, stimulation element adapted to be located within such a patient at a location where applying an electrical stimulation to such a patient serves to stabilize an upper airway of such a patient without assistance of an implanted device that mechanically suspends tissues associated with the upper airway, and wherein said stimulation element is adapted to enhance excitability of a nerve or muscle tissue proximate to said stimulation element responsive to a wireless application of said magnetic field on said stimulation element.