Patent ID: 8764799

Claim:
A method for maintaining a patient's nasal value to prevent occlusion of the patient's nasal passage comprising: trans-nasally forming a tunnel to access a patient's nasal mucosa; driving a first suture anchor having a first trailing suture through the tunnel to create a trans-nasal pocket and implanting the first suture anchor into a targeted location; inserting a suture retriever through the tunnel to retrieve the first trailing suture and pulling the first trailing suture through a nasal opening of the patient; driving a second suture anchor having a second trailing suture through the tunnel and implanting the second suture anchor into a second targeted location; inserting a suture retriever through the tunnel to retrieve the second trailing suture and pulling the second trailing suture through a nasal opening of the patient; feeding the first and second trailing sutures through a supporter having holes for introducing the trailing sutures and advancing the supporter over the trailing sutures to place the supporter within the trans-nasal pocket of the patient; and tensioning the suture anchors, trailing sutures and supporter to correct for nasal collapse and maintain open the nasal passage of the patient.