Abstract: A method and apparatus for treating a nasal valve condition including surgically forming an access path to create a pocket on a side of the patient's nose. The pocket is positioned between a soft tissue layer and opposing surfaces of upper and lower cartilages of the nose. The pocket spans a junction between the upper and lower cartilages. An implant is placed through the access path into the pocket with a length oriented to span the junction. A delivery system for placement of the implant includes a surgical tool for forming the access path and for delivering the implant into the access path.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for treating a nasal valve condition including surgically forming an access path to create a pocket on a side of the patient's nose. The pocket is positioned between a soft tissue layer and opposing surfaces of upper and lower cartilages of the nose. The pocket spans a junction between the upper and lower cartilages. An implant is placed through the access path into the pocket with a length oriented to span the junction. A delivery system for placement of the implant includes a surgical tool for forming the access path and for delivering the implant into the access path.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for treating a nasal valve condition including surgically forming an access path to create a pocket on a side of the patient's nose. The pocket is positioned between a soft tissue layer and opposing surfaces of upper and lower cartilages of the nose. The pocket spans a junction between the upper and lower cartilages. An implant is placed through the access path into the pocket with a length oriented to span the junction. A delivery system for placement of the implant includes a surgical tool for forming the access path and for delivering the implant into the access path.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for treating a nasal valve condition including surgically forming an access path to create a pocket on a side of the patient's nose. The pocket is positioned between a soft tissue layer and opposing surfaces of upper and lower cartilages of the nose. The pocket spans a junction between the upper and lower cartilages. An implant is placed through the access path into the pocket with a length oriented to span the junction. A delivery system for placement of the implant includes a surgical tool for forming the access path and for delivering the implant into the access path.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for treating a nasal valve condition including surgically forming an access path to create a pocket on a side of the patient's nose. The pocket is positioned between a soft tissue layer and opposing surfaces of upper and lower cartilages of the nose. The pocket spans a junction between the upper and lower cartilages. An implant is placed through the access path into the pocket with a length oriented to span the junction. A delivery system for placement of the implant includes a surgical tool for forming the access path and for delivering the implant into the access path.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for treating a nasal valve condition including surgically forming an access path to create a pocket on a side of the patient's nose. The pocket is positioned between a soft tissue layer and opposing surfaces of upper and lower cartilages of the nose. The pocket spans a junction between the upper and lower cartilages. An implant is placed through the access path into the pocket with a length oriented to span the junction. A delivery system for placement of the implant includes a surgical tool for forming the access path and for delivering the implant into the access path.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for treating a nasal valve condition including surgically forming an access path to create a pocket on a side of the patient's nose. The pocket is positioned between a soft tissue layer and opposing surfaces of upper and lower cartilages of the nose. The pocket spans a junction between the upper and lower cartilages. An implant is placed through the access path into the pocket with a length oriented to span the junction. A delivery system for placement of the implant includes a surgical tool for forming the access path and for delivering the implant into the access path.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for treating a nasal valve condition including surgically forming an access path to create a pocket on a side of the patient's nose. The pocket is positioned between a soft tissue layer and opposing surfaces of upper and lower cartilages of the nose. The pocket spans a junction between the upper and lower cartilages. An implant is placed through the access path into the pocket with a length oriented to span the junction. A delivery system for placement of the implant includes a surgical tool for forming the access path and for delivering the implant into the access path.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for treating a nasal valve condition including surgically forming an access path to create a pocket on a side of the patient's nose. The pocket is positioned between a soft tissue layer and opposing surfaces of upper and lower cartilages of the nose. The pocket spans a junction between the upper and lower cartilages. An implant is placed through the access path into the pocket with a length oriented to span the junction. A delivery system for placement of the implant includes a surgical tool for forming the access path and for delivering the implant into the access path.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for treating a nasal valve condition including surgically forming an access path to create a pocket on a side of the patient's nose. The pocket is positioned between a soft tissue layer and opposing surfaces of upper and lower cartilages of the nose. The pocket spans a junction between the upper and lower cartilages. An implant is placed through the access path into the pocket with a length oriented to span the junction. A delivery system for placement of the implant includes a surgical tool for forming the access path and for delivering the implant into the access path.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for treating a condition of a patient's airway includes identifying a patient with obstructive sleep apnea and identifying a muscle of a tongue of the patient. A first brace is implanted within the tongue at a first implant location near the top of the tongue. A second brace is implanted within the tongue at a second implant location below the upper location. The first and second braces are connected to compress the muscle group.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for treating a nasal valve condition include surgically forming an access path to create a pocket on a side of the patient's nose. The pocket is positioned between a soft tissue layer and opposing surfaces of upper and lower cartilages of the nose. The pocket spans a junction between the upper and lower cartilages. An implant is selected having a length, width and thickness sized to reside within the pocket. The length is sized to span the junction. The width is sized to be less than the width of the upper and lower cartilages. The thickness of the implant is as thin as possible while maintaining material strength to resist bending in response to inhalation pressures at the nasal valve. The implant is placed through the access path into the pocket with the length oriented spanning the junction. A delivery system for placement of the implant includes a surgical tool for forming the access path and for delivering the implant into the access path.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for treating a condition of a patient's airway includes identifying a patient with obstructive sleep apnea and identifying a muscle of a tongue of the patient. A first brace is implanted within the tongue at a first implant location near the top of the tongue. A second brace is implanted within the tongue at a second implant location below the upper location. The first and second braces are connected to compress the muscle group.

Abstract: An apparatus for treating a condition of a patient's airway includes a tissue isolation member for isolating a target tissue to be incised. The tissue isolation member has a bottom surface for placement against a tissue of a patient. The bottom surface at least partially surrounds an opening sized to expose the target tissue and to receive the target tissue in the opening. A guide member is carried on the tissue isolation member and spaced from the bottom surface. The guide member defines an incision path. The path extends at least partially across the opening from a path front to a path end. An ablation member is coupled to the guide member to move in the path over the opening. The ablation member includes an ablation element connected to the ablation member for the ablation element to move in the path and form an incision in the target tissue.

Abstract: An electrosurgical cord adapter assembly designed for use in conjunction with an electrosurgerical device includes an electrically connecting portion for receiving and electrically connecting an electrical pin of the electrosurgical device and an electrical cord, and an insulating boot with two opposing lateral sides integrally formed with the electrically connecting portion and having a closed back end and an open front end. The boot is designed to cover electrically conductive parts on a handle assembly or surgeon-manipulable portion of the electrosurgical device. Alternatively, the electrical cord can be integrally formed with the electrically connecting portion.

Abstract: A non-resonating laser diode optical amplifier comprises a strip of optically active material forming an amplifying optical guide, covered with a confinement sheath and defined by antireflection coating layers. The strip has end portions whose thickness is lesser than that of a central portion and is selected to give a low value to the difference between the wavelengths corresponding to the reflectivity minima for the two inherent polarization states. The end portions are connected to the central portion by transition sections having a progressively increasing thickness.

Abstract: An apparatus having a vibratable tip for ultrasonically disintegrating tissue in a surgical procedure and for aspirating the disintegrated tissue and fluids away from the surgical site through an opening in the tip. A connection to an electrosurgical unit provides for delivery of RF cutting current, RF coagulating current or a blend thereof to the tip so that electrosurgical procedures can be conducted separately or simultaneously with ultrasonic aspiration through the tip. It thus is now possible, for example, to electrocauterize simultaneously with ultrasonic fragmentation with a single handheld surgical device. The simultaneous delivery of ultrasonic vibrations and RF current to the tip also has been found to increase the tissue fragmentation rate.