Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh have designed a novel, easy-to-use, non-invasive device to treat obstructive sleep apnea in patients.
Description
An inflatable pillow-style device has been developed to support users to maintain a head tilt-chin lift or sniffing position while sleeping. This position replicates a non-surgical maneuver aimed to reduce airway obstruction caused by either the collapse of the upper palate or the tongue.
Applications
1. Obstructive sleep apnea management
2. Management of airway following oral or maxillofacial surgery
3. Emergency medicine
Advantages
Sleep disordered breathing (snoring and obstructive sleep apnea [OSA]) is estimated to impact up to a billion people worldwide. In the USA alone, treatment of OSA is approximately $12.4bn. Current treatment options include the use of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) devices and oral appliances during sleep or surgical interventions to open the upper airways. Many of these interventions (CPAP) have poor compliance, are unsuitable for those with dentures (oral devices) or are costly and involve invasive and often lengthy procedures (surgery). Additionally, in the emergency and hospital setting these options may not always be suitable, particularly in the case of patients with traumatic facial injuries, recent maxillofacial or dental surgery, or congested airways due to upper respiratory infections.
The Active Head Tilt-Chin Lift Positioning (AHT-CLiP) device presented here is an inflatable, adjustable pillow device with the ability to be fitted around the user’s collar making it ready-to-use, unlike some of the current treatment options. The invention does not require a mask or oral device and is well suited to those with facial or oral injuries, disease, or trauma. The key benefit of this invention is the presence of a feedback mechanism to actively adjust the user’s head position in response to changes in breath sounds (snoring etc.) using a system of bellows to ensure the user’s airway is opened in the head tilt-chin lift position.
Invention Readiness
A prototype has been developed with a soft neck collar with a fastening system to enable a personalized fit for the user. Additionally, the device has several inflatable chambers, particularly under the chin, which can be inflated or deflated using bellows. The inflation and deflation are controlled by a smart device with an algorithm designed to respond to the sounds of sleep-disordered breathing.
IP Status
https://patents.google.com/patent/WO2024006838A2
