Patent ID: 6269269
Filing Date: 2001-07-31
Classification: A61N

Abstract:
A system for treating obstructive sleep apnea in a patient, comprising:means for determining when the patient has entered a sleep state;means for electrically stimulating a nerve in the upper airway tract of the patient to elicit a contraction by an innervated muscle through the provision of electrical stimuli thereto, the electrical stimulating means being operably connected to the sleep state determining means and being operative continuously over a pre-determined period of time after the sleep state determining means has determined the patient has entered the sleep state;means for sensing the respiratory effort of a patient operably connected to the electrical stimulating means and comprising first and second electrodes suitable for placement on opposite sides of the patient's diaphragm, the respiratory effort sensing means delivering high frequency current between the electrodes to thereby measure the impedance therebetween;wherein the electrical stimulating means provides electrical stimuli to the innervated muscle in coordination with the sensed respiratory effort of the patient.