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Abstract

Obstructive sleep apnea from blockage of the upper airway can result in significant daytime drowsiness, with many long-term co-morbidities associated with this disorder such as such as hypertension. A common cause of obstructive sleep apnea is the complete concentric collapse of the soft pallet or retrusion of the genioglossus muscle into the upper airway obstructing breathing. The latter can be due to exhaustion of the muscle due to heightened activation during wake periods, or a greater number of type II muscle fibers can contribute to muscle fatigue. It could also be neurological, whereby the hypoglossal nerve which controls most the upper airway muscles fails to innervate the genioglossus sufficiently to prevent backward movement and pharyngeal block. Described herein is an intelligent personalized closed loop neuromodulation system and methods to prevent backwards movement of the genioglossus muscle through stimulation of certain branches of the hypoglossal nerve and muscle motor points, by using muscle feedback from electromyogram sensors to provide optimal stimulus. Alternative embodiments to treat neuropathic pain and urinary dysfunction are enclosed.

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First Claim