Patent ID: 7673635

Claim:
A method for treating a condition of a patient's airway wherein said condition is attributed at least in part to a spacing of a trailing end of a soft palate of the patient from opposing airway tissue of the patient; said method comprising: selecting an implant sized to be implanted within said soft palate, said implant having a tissue-engaging member sized to be implanted within said soft palate near said trailing end and oppose relative movement between said tissue-engaging member and surrounding tissue of said soft palate, said implant further having an elongated tether member with a first end secured to said tissue-engaging member; placing said implant within said soft palate with said tissue-engaging member implanted within tissue of said soft palate near said trailing end and with said tether member extending from said first end to a second end near a hard palate of said patient; and securing said second end of said tether member to said hard palate.