Tracheostomy Appliances and Methods for the Treatment of Sleep Apnea Syndromes

Abstract

Small tracheostomy appliances for use in treating Sleep Apnea Syndrome. The appliances are inserted in a tracheotomy incision, low on a patient's neck to equalize intra-tracheal pressure with ambient pressure under certain conditions to prevent undesirable increases in blood CO 2 that could otherwise cause arousals from sleep.

1 . A miniature tubular tracheal implant device having an inside diameter of less than about 4 mm. inserted percutaneously into a human trachea and operable automatically to control intra-thoracic pressure during sleep for attenuating an apneic event by limiting blood carbon dioxide concentration levels to less than about 25 percent of the implanted human's normal blood level concentration at rest.