Patent ID: 8408213

Claim:
A method for treatment of a breathing disorder using a tissue retractor, the method comprising: inserting a shaft into a soft tissue located in a patient's oral cavity or pharynx thereby forming a tract through the soft tissue; connecting an anchor member at or near a second end of the shaft; and adjusting at least one of the shaft, the anchor member, or a retractor member disposed at or near a first end of the shaft, to alter the pressure exerted on the soft tissue, wherein at least one of the retractor member or the anchor member is positionable on an external surface of the soft tissue and at least one of the shaft, the retractor member or the anchor member interact to exert a tension force to establish a pressure sufficient to prevent a deformation of the external surface by bringing the soft tissue toward another soft tissue located in the patient's oral cavity or pharynx, the tissue retractor configured for subsequent retensioning by noninvasively adjusting the anchor member after the tract matures.