Systems and methods for treating sleep disordered breathing

Abstract

Methods and systems for treating sleep disordered breathing by stimulating nerves that innervate the palatoglossus and/or the palatopharyngeus muscle are provided. Such therapy can be used in conjunction with hypoglossal nerve stimulation.

1 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A therapy delivery system for improving sleep apnea comprising:
 an electrode configured to deliver an electrical signal to a target site that is a nerve that is a branch of the pharyngeal nerve plexus that innervates a palatoglossus muscle, the palatopharyngeus muscle, or both, the target site of the nerve not being a cranial root of an accessory nerve of the patient;   a power source in electrical communication with the electrode; and   a controller in electrical communication with the electrode and programmed to direct delivery of an electrical signal by the electrode to the target site to improve the sleep apnea.   
     
     
         17 . The therapy delivery system of  claim 16 , further comprising an electrode configured to deliver an electrical signal to a hypoglossal nerve of the patient. 
     
     
         18 . A closed-loop therapy delivery system for improving sleep apnea comprising:
 an electrode configured to deliver a therapy signal to a target site that is a nerve that is a branch of the pharyngeal nerve plexus that innervates a palatoglossus muscle, the palatopharyngeus muscle, or both, the target site of the nerve not being a cranial root of an accessory nerve of the patient;   a power source in electrical communication with the electrode;   a sensor in electrical communication with the electrode and configured to sense a physiological parameter associated with the sleep apnea and generate a sensor signal based on the physiological parameter; and   a controller in electrical communication with the electrode and the sensor, the controller programmed to direct delivery of the therapy signal to the target site by the electrode based on the sensor signal to improve the sleep apnea.   
     
     
         19 . The therapy delivery system of  claim 18 , further comprising an electrode configured to deliver an electrical signal to a hypoglossal nerve of the patient.