JP2009034384A - Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome dissolving device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an improved, inexpensive and user-friendly obstructive sleep apnea syndrome dissolving device. <P>SOLUTION: This obstructive sleep apnea syndrome dissolving device 11 is provided with a wire rod 13a, a tube 12 and a stopper 15. The wire rod has a coil portion 13a and a wire portion 13b. The coil portion is elastically deformable. The wire portion is bendable and extended from one end of the coil portion. The tube is bendable and can store the coil portion. The stopper is attached to an opposite-side end of the coil portion side out of two ends of the wire portion. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an obstructive sleep apnea syndrome canceller that prevents the pharynx of the upper respiratory tract from becoming obstructed during sleep.

  In patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, the pharynx of the upper respiratory tract is obstructed by complications such as muscle relaxation and obesity during sleep, and intermittent choking (apnea, hypopnea) is repeated intermittently. . For this reason, patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome suffer from hypertension or cerebrovascular and cardiovascular disorders, and as a result, the awakening reaction repeats after apnea or hypopnea. As a result, patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome may not be able to sleep adequately, and may become drowsy during the day or lack concentration or vitality during the day. In addition, when a patient with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome drives a car, the patient is likely to cause an accident or a serious accident or the like due to drowsy driving.

  Thus, in recent years, various proposals have been made to treat or eliminate obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. For example, in the past, a method of “sending air of appropriate pressure from the outside to the pharynx via the nostril and expanding the blockage portion with air pressure to secure an airway for inspiration” (see, for example, Patent Document 1) or “ A method of “wearing a mouthpiece” has been proposed.

  In order to carry out the treatment method of the air pressurization method like the former, an air pressurization apparatus is required. However, the air pressurizing apparatus is not only relatively large but also heavy, and is not suitable for carrying on travel. Air pressurizers are also generally expensive and impose a significant economic burden on patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. When a patient with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome uses an air pressurization device, the patient completely covers the nostril portion with a mask so that the pressurized air sent from the air pressurization device does not leak. At the same time, the mask and the air delivery pipe must be fixed to the head with a headband so that the mask and the air delivery pipe do not come off. Wearing these components during sleep is painful for the patient. In addition, the air pressurizing device is noisy and may disturb sleep of not only the patient but also the surrounding people. Furthermore, when the room temperature decreases during winter use, the moisture in the breath aggregates in the mask to form water droplets, which may hit the patient's face and interfere with the patient's sleep.

  On the other hand, the latter treatment method can achieve a certain effect when the patient's symptoms are minor, but cannot often be expected for a severe patient.

In such a situation, recently, “a flexible tube having a length from the pharynx to the nostril, a flexible guide wire inserted into the tube, and an elastically deformable provided at one end of the guide wire. An obstructive sleep apnea syndrome canceller composed of a reticulated cylinder and a stopper provided at the other end of the guide wire has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 2). In order for the patient to wear this obstructive sleep apnea syndrome canceller, the patient first pulls the stopper to place the reticulated cylinder in the tube, and then the obstructive sleep apnea syndrome in that state The device is inserted through its nostril and the obstructive sleep apnea syndrome canceller is passed through the nasal cavity so that the end on the stopper side of the obstructive sleep apnea syndrome device is slightly protruding from the nostril. Thereafter, the patient holds the end of the tube on the stopper side with one hand, and pushes the guide wire into the tube until the stopper comes into contact with the end of the tube with the other hand. Then, the reticular cylinder housed in the tube is pushed out of the tube, and the reticular cylinder is deployed in the patient's pharynx to widen the airway of the pharynx. As described above, the obstructive sleep apnea syndrome canceller can secure a reliable airway, is easy to wear, does not interfere with the sleep of the patient and those around him, and is small, light and inexpensive to carry. It is also easy and very good.
JP-A-8-332226 JP 2006-204630 A

  An object of the present invention is to improve the obstructive sleep apnea syndrome eliminating device as described above, and to make it cheaper and easier to use.

  The obstructive sleep apnea syndrome canceller according to the first invention includes a wire, a tube, and a stopper. The wire has a coil part and a wire part. The coil part is elastically deformable. Note that the number of pitches, pitch interval, radius, shape, and the like of the coil portion can be arbitrarily set. The wire part is bendable and extends from one end of the coil part. The tube is bendable and can accommodate the coil portion. In addition, in the state in which the coil part is accommodated in the tube, it is desirable that the wire part is exposed from the tube more than the length of the coil part. The stopper is attached to the end on the opposite side of the coil portion of the two ends of the wire portion.

  In this obstructive sleep apnea syndrome canceller, a coil portion is provided at the tip of the wire instead of the mesh tube. As is clear from the shape of the mesh tube and the coil, the coil has a stronger deploying force in the radial direction when pushed out from the tube than the mesh tube. For this reason, if the radius of the coil portion and the radius of the reticular cylinder are the same, the obstructive sleep apnea syndrome canceller according to the present invention should be able to push the airway more, It should be easy to bite into the pharynx. Therefore, the obstructive sleep apnea syndrome canceller according to the present invention can push the airway more widely than the conventional obstructive sleep apnea syndrome canceller, and the patient can turn over during sleep. It can be made difficult to come off. Therefore, the obstructive sleep apnea syndrome canceller according to the present invention is very easy for the patient to use. Further, the coil has a simpler shape than that of the net-like cylindrical body, and does not take time and effort for processing. For this reason, this obstructive sleep apnea syndrome canceller can be manufactured at a lower cost than the conventional obstructive sleep apnea syndrome canceller.

  The obstructive sleep apnea syndrome eliminating device according to the second invention is the obstructive sleep apnea syndrome eliminating device according to the first invention, wherein the coil portion has a radius opposite to the wire portion side from the central portion in the axial direction. It gets smaller as it goes to the side.

  In this obstructive sleep apnea syndrome canceller, the radius of the coil portion decreases from the central portion in the axial direction toward the opposite side of the wire portion. For this reason, in this obstructive sleep apnea syndrome canceller, the coil portion is easily inserted into the pharynx. Therefore, this obstructive sleep apnea syndrome canceller is very easy for the patient to use.

  The obstructive sleep apnea syndrome eliminating device according to the third invention is the obstructive sleep apnea syndrome eliminating device according to the first invention, wherein the coil portion has a radius opposite to the wire portion side from the axial center portion. It gets bigger as you go to the side.

  In this obstructive sleep apnea syndrome canceller, the radius of the coil portion increases from the central portion in the axial direction toward the opposite side of the wire portion. For this reason, in this obstructive sleep apnea syndrome canceller, if the tip of the coil part is inserted to the back of the pharynx, the coil part is difficult to come out of the pharynx. Therefore, this obstructive sleep apnea syndrome canceller is difficult to be removed even if the patient turns over during sleep. Moreover, in this obstruction type sleep apnea syndrome canceller, since the coil portion is elastically deformed at the time of extraction, the extraction can be performed smoothly.

  The obstructive sleep apnea syndrome canceller according to the first aspect of the present invention can expand the airway more than the conventional obstructive sleep apnea syndrome canceller, and even if the patient rolls back during sleep Can be difficult. Therefore, the obstructive sleep apnea syndrome canceller according to the present invention is very easy to use. Further, the coil has a simpler shape than that of the net-like cylindrical body, and does not take time and effort for processing. For this reason, this obstructive sleep apnea syndrome canceller can be manufactured at a lower cost than the conventional obstructive sleep apnea syndrome canceller.

  In the obstructive sleep apnea syndrome canceller according to the second invention, the coil part is easily inserted into the pharynx. Therefore, this obstructive sleep apnea syndrome canceller is very easy for the patient to use.

  In the obstructive sleep apnea syndrome canceller according to the third aspect of the present invention, if the distal end portion of the coil portion is inserted to the back of the pharynx, the coil portion is difficult to come out of the pharynx. Therefore, this obstructive sleep apnea syndrome canceller is difficult to be removed even if the patient turns over during sleep. Moreover, in this obstruction type sleep apnea syndrome canceller, since the coil portion is elastically deformed at the time of extraction, the extraction can be performed smoothly.

  The obstructive sleep apnea syndrome canceller 11 according to the present invention is mainly composed of a wire 13, a tube 12, and a stopper 15, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Hereinafter, each component of the obstructive sleep apnea syndrome canceller 11 will be described in detail.

<Configuration of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome canceller>
(1) Wire rod The wire rod 13 is a material having a large coefficient of restitution (restoring force), for example, a metal wire such as nickel titanium, and the tip is processed into a coil shape. In the following, for convenience of explanation, the coil portion of the wire 13 is referred to as a “coil portion” and is indicated by a symbol 13 a in the drawing, and the other portion is referred to as a “wire portion” and is indicated by a reference symbol 13 b in the drawing. Show.

  The coil part 13a is for securing the airway by preventing the pharynx from being blocked and can be elastically deformed. And in this coil part 13a, the number of pitches, a pitch space | interval, a radius, etc. are prescribed | regulated. Specifically, the outer diameter is preferably 5 to 20 mm and the length is preferably about 10 to 70 mm. In addition, when this coil part 13a is accommodated in the tube 12, a pitch space | interval becomes wide and a radius becomes small to the internal diameter of a tube.

  The wire portion 13 b has a diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the tube 12 and can reciprocate within the tube 12. In addition, the wire portion 13 b has a length that allows the coil portion 13 a to protrude from the tip of the tube 12.

(2) Tube The tube 12 is made of a material having a low coefficient of friction and flexibility and is harmless to the human body, for example, a synthetic resin such as polyethylene, fluororesin, or silicon resin. The insertion resistance up to and the movement resistance of the coil portion 13a are small. Further, the tube 12 has a length such that the distal end of the insertion side is positioned slightly in front of the pharynx and the proximal end slightly protrudes from the nostril when the obstructive sleep apnea syndrome canceller is mounted. . Moreover, since the inner diameter of the tube 12 correlates with the outer diameter when the coil portion 13a is contracted, it is appropriately set according to the material of the wire 13, the condition of the patient, and the like. The inner diameter of the tube 12 is preferably about 3 to 8 mm in consideration of insertion from the nostril. The wall thickness of the tube 12 is preferably about 0.5 to 3 mm. In addition, it is preferable that the end surface portion of the tube is chamfered so as to facilitate insertion into the nasal cavity.

(3) Stopper The stopper 15 regulates the amount by which the coil portion 13a is pushed into the pharynx. When the stopper 15 comes into contact with the proximal end (outer end) of the tube 12, the entire coil portion 13a It is attached to the wire part 13b so that it may be pushed out from the tip. Moreover, it is preferable to form this stopper 15 larger than a nostril so that it may not enter into a nostril during sleep. Moreover, it is preferable that this stopper 15 is removable from the wire part 13b so that the wire 13 can be extracted from the tube 12 and cleaned or disinfected. In order to make the stopper 15 removable as described above, a screwing structure, a fitting structure, or the like may be used.

<How to use obstructive sleep apnea syndrome canceller>
(1) Wearing method In order for the patient to wear the obstructive sleep apnea syndrome canceller 11, the patient first pulls the stopper 15 to place the obstructive sleep apnea syndrome canceller 11 in FIGS. 2 and 3. As shown in FIG. 2, the coil portion 13a is pulled into the inside of the distal end side of the tube 12. At this time, it is preferable to apply petrolatum or a jelly-like lubricant to the coil portion 13a. This is because the coil portion 13a can be easily pulled into the tube 12 in this way. Next, the patient passes the obstructive sleep apnea syndrome canceller 11 in this state from the nostril 21 through the nasal cavity 22, and the proximal end of the obstructive sleep apnea syndrome canceller 11 slightly extends from the nostril 21, for example, 1 The obstructive sleep apnea syndrome canceller 11 is pushed in until approximately 2 cm has come out. At this time, it is preferable that a lubricant or the like is applied to the outer peripheral surface of the tube 12.

  When the patient finishes inserting the obstructive sleep apnea syndrome canceller 11 to the position in front of the pharynx 23, the patient holds the proximal end of the tube 12 with one hand, and the stopper 15 is held with the other hand. The wire 13 is pushed in until it is in contact with the proximal end of 12. Then, the coil part 13a is pushed out from the front-end | tip of the tube 12 to the pharynx 23 obstruct | occluded at the time of sleep. As a result, as shown in FIG. 4, the coil portion 13 a is deployed in the pharynx 23, and the airway of the pharynx 23 is secured.

  If this operation is performed when the patient is awake, the airway of the patient's pharynx 23 is open, so that the patient can push the coil portion 13a into the pharynx 23 with a light force.

(2) Desorption Method When the patient wakes up, for example, the patient pulls the stopper 15 while holding the proximal end of the tube 12 with one hand, and retracts and stores the coil portion 13a inside the distal end side of the tube 12. Then, the patient pulls out the obstructive sleep apnea syndrome canceller 11 in that state from the nostril 21.

  The patient can repeatedly use the obstructive sleep apnea syndrome canceller 11 if the obstructed sleep apnea syndrome canceller 11 that has been pulled out is washed, disinfected, or the like. At this time, if the patient removes the stopper 15 from the wire 13, the patient can easily pull out the wire 13 from the tube 12. Moreover, the inside of the tube 12 can be easily cleaned by using an appropriate cleaning tool, and each part can be easily disinfected by using a disinfectant such as alcohol.

<Characteristics of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome canceller>
(1)
When a patient with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome goes to bed with the coil 13a deployed in the pharynx 23, the muscles of the pharynx 23 relax and the airway is blocked by gravity or the like. However, since the coil part 13a pushes up the tongue or the like, the airway of the pharynx 23 is maintained in an open state. Therefore, the patient can prevent his / her airway from becoming constricted or obstructed. Therefore, the patient can be prevented from becoming inhaled due to inhalation and can sleep. As a result, the patient's somnolence during the day is eliminated, and the patient can be prevented from falling asleep during daytime meetings or driving. Furthermore, the patient can prevent the choking state by using the obstructive sleep apnea syndrome canceller 11 and can eliminate the distant cause that the brain, the heart, and the like reach the infarct state.

(2)
In the obstructive sleep apnea syndrome canceller 11 according to the present embodiment, a coil portion 13a is provided at the tip of the wire instead of the mesh tube. As is clear from the shape of the mesh tube and the coil, the coil has a stronger deploying force in the radial direction when pushed out from the tube 12 than the mesh tube. For this reason, if the radius of the coil part 13a and the radius of the mesh tube are the same, the obstructive sleep apnea syndrome canceller 11 according to the present embodiment should be able to push the airway more. Yes, and should be easy to bite into the pharynx. Therefore, the obstructive sleep apnea syndrome canceller 11 according to the present embodiment can further widen the airway as compared with the conventional obstructive sleep apnea syndrome canceller, and the patient can turn over during sleep. It can be made difficult to come off. Therefore, the obstructive sleep apnea syndrome canceller according to the present embodiment is very easy for the patient to use. Further, the coil has a simpler shape than that of the net-like cylindrical body, and does not take time and effort for processing. Therefore, the obstructive sleep apnea syndrome canceller 11 can be manufactured at a lower cost than the conventional obstructive sleep apnea syndrome canceller.

<Modification>
(A)
In the obstructive sleep apnea syndrome canceller 11 according to the previous embodiment, the coil portion 13a having a constant radius from the start to the end is employed, but the coil portion 13a is not limited to such a shape. It may be processed into various shapes. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, the coil portion may have a coil shape in which the radius of the central portion in the axial direction is larger than the radius of both end portions in the axial direction (the change in the coil radius is V-shaped) 6 may be formed into a coil shape in which the radius of the central portion in the axial direction is smaller than the radii of both end portions in the axial direction as shown in FIG. Or a circular arc shape), a coil shape whose radius increases from the rear end toward the front end (conical shape or trumpet shape) It may be a coil shape whose radius decreases from the rear end toward the front end (a conical shape or a trumpet shape). Further, non-uniform pitch intervals may be employed in such coil portions.

(B)
In the obstructive sleep apnea syndrome canceller 11 according to the previous embodiment, the coil portion 13a and the wire 13b are integrated, but the coil portion 13a and the wire portion 13b may be separated. In such a case, the coil portion 13a and the wire portion 13b need to be connected by an appropriate connecting member, or directly joined by caulking or an adhesive.

  In such a case, the coil portion 13a is made of a material having a high coefficient of restitution (restoring force), for example, a metal wire such as nickel titanium, and the wire portion 13b is made of a metal wire such as stainless steel or titanium having a relatively large buckling strength. It may be formed. Note that the thickness and shape of the wire portion 13b may be appropriately selected according to the required strength and the like, and for example, a shape such as a single wire, a stranded wire, or a winding may be taken. In general, the wire portion 13b is preferably a metal fiber obtained by twisting a plurality of single wires of about 30 to 100 μm, or a metal wire of about 50 to 200 μm.

(C)
In the obstructive sleep apnea syndrome canceller 11 according to the previous embodiment, a metal wire is used as the wire 13. However, when a patient has a metal allergy symptom, polyethylene, fluorine resin, or the like is used as the wire 13. A metal wire coated with, a stainless steel wire not containing pure titanium or nickel, a relatively rigid resin fiber, or the like is employed. In addition, when other diseases are observed in the patient, an appropriate optimal material is selected according to the symptoms.

(D)
In the obstructive sleep apnea syndrome canceller 11 according to the previous embodiment, when the tube 12 is attached, the distal end of the insertion side is positioned slightly in front of the pharynx and the proximal end slightly protrudes from the nostril. However, when the tube 12 is mounted, the distal end of the insertion side is located slightly in front of the pharynx, and the proximal end is slightly longer than the length that slightly protrudes from the nostril. Good. In such a case, the patient will not be confused about use if a mark is obtained at the position of the length of the tube 12 according to the previous embodiment.

(E)
In the previous embodiment, the patient inserts the obstructive sleep apnea syndrome canceller 11 to the position of the pharynx 23 and then pushes the coil portion 13a from the tip of the tube 12 to widen the airway of the pharynx 23. It was. However, if a wire portion having a length of 10 to 70 mm is adopted as the wire 13b, the patient inserts the tube 12 without moving the wire portion 13b after inserting the distal end of the obstructive sleep apnea syndrome canceller 11 to the pharynx 23. By moving toward the stopper 15, the coil 13a can be developed in the pharynx 23, and the airway of its own pharynx 23 can be expanded.

(F)
In the previous embodiment, the obstructive sleep apnea syndrome canceller 11 is preferably disassembled and washed after use, but the obstructive sleep apnea syndrome canceller 11 is disposable. Good. In such a case, it is not necessary to consider the removal structure for the stopper 15, and for example, a knock structure or the like can be used.

  The obstructive sleep apnea syndrome canceller according to the present invention has a feature that it is cheaper and easier to use than the conventional obstructive sleep apnea syndrome canceller, and eliminates the obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. It is expected to be more useful for treatment. Moreover, this obstructive sleep apnea syndrome canceller can also be used as an airway securing device during emergency or surgery.

It is a perspective view which shows a state when the coil part of a wire is pushed out from the tube in the obstruction type sleep apnea syndrome canceller which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention, and is expand | deployed. It is a perspective view which shows a state when the coil part of a wire is accommodated in the tube in the obstruction type sleep apnea syndrome canceller which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the state before a patient wears an obstructive sleep apnea syndrome canceller. It is explanatory drawing which shows the state which the patient equipped with the obstruction | occlusion type sleep apnea syndrome canceller and the airway was ensured. It is a figure which shows the shape of the coil part which concerns on a modification (A). It is a figure which shows the shape of the coil part which concerns on a modification (A).

Explanation of symbols

11 Obstruction type sleep apnea syndrome canceller 12 Tube 13 Wire 13a Coil part 13b Wire part 15 Stopper

Claims (3)

A wire having an elastically deformable coil portion and a bendable wire portion extending from one end of the coil portion;
A bendable tube capable of accommodating the coil portion;
An obstructive sleep apnea syndrome canceller comprising a stopper attached to an end on the opposite side of the coil portion of the two ends of the wire portion. The obstructive sleep apnea syndrome canceller according to claim 1, wherein the coil portion has a radius that decreases from an axially central portion toward the opposite side of the wire portion. 2. The obstructive sleep apnea syndrome canceller according to claim 1, wherein the coil portion has a radius that increases from an axially central portion toward an opposite side of the wire portion side.

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