Patent ID: 8430900

Claim:
An expander device that treats a patient's pharyngeal airway, the expander device comprising: a curved bar member defining a support surface; a compression pad provided on the support surface of the curved bar member, the curved bar member and the compression pad being dimensioned so as to be inserted into the patient's pharyngeal airway such that the compression pad is positioned within the airway in opposition to an external portion of a pharyngeal wall of the airway; wherein the compression pad expands against the external portion of the pharyngeal wall when activated to outwardly displace the external portion of the pharyngeal wall; wherein the compression pad contracts from the external portion of the pharyngeal wall when deactivated to permit removal of the curved bar member and the pad from the airway after treatment of the pharyngeal wall of the patient's airway; wherein the compression pad includes an inflatable bladder; wherein the inflatable bladder is connected to a tube that activates and deactivates the compression pad; and an applicator located adjacent to the compression pad that administers the treatment to the pharyngeal wall, the applicator being in fluid communication with the tube.