Patent ID: 8413662

Claim:
A method for treating obstructive sleep apnea of a patient by treating a pharyngeal airway having a pharyngeal wall at least partially surrounding and defining an airway, said method comprising: selecting an implant dimensioned so as to be implanted at a mucosal layer of said pharyngeal wall, said implant having a longitudinal dimension; said implant having mechanical characteristics for said implant to stiffen said pharyngeal wall to resist radial collapse; implanting said implant into said pharyngeal wall with said longitudinal dimension extending at least partially around said pharyngeal wall, transverse to a longitudinal axis of said pharyngeal airway; selecting a particulate material selected for limited migration within a tissue area and for encouraging a fibrotic response of tissue to said particulate material; and injecting a bolus of said particulate material into said tissue area adjacent to the implanted implant to stiffen said tissue.