Abstract: Snoring and sleep apnea are conditions associated with a narrowing of the airway. A device (10) and a method for piercing a soft tissue channel in the pharynx and an implant for insertion into this soft tissue channel are disclosed, with which these symptoms can be treated. The device according to the invention comprises a handle (12) and a blade (11) with a tip (16), which are connected to each other via an interface (13). In this process, a channel is pierced through the device (10), the shape of which is designed in connection with the shape of the implant in such a way that the narrowing of the airways is optimally treated.

Abstract: The invention relates to an implant for a palate, in particular a human palate. The implant comprises a proximal portion, a distal portion and a middle portion. The proximal portion is dimensioned in such a way that it can be fixed to a hard palate. The distal portion is arranged at an angle in relation to the proximal portion and is dimensioned in such a way that it can be accommodated completely in a soft palate. The middle portion extends between the proximal portion and the distal portion. In a sectional plane extending through the proximal portion and the distal portion, the curvature of the middle portion at each of its points is greater than the curvature of the proximal portion at each of its points and greater than the curvature of the distal portion at each of its points.

Abstract: The invention relates to an implant for a palate, in particular a human palate. The implant comprises a proximal portion, a distal portion and a middle portion. The proximal portion is dimensioned in such a way that it can be fixed to a hard palate. The distal portion is arranged at an angle in relation to the proximal portion and is dimensioned in such a way that it can be accommodated completely in a soft palate. The middle portion extends between the proximal portion and the distal portion. In a sectional plane extending through the proximal portion and the distal portion, the curvature of the middle portion at each of its points is greater than the curvature of the proximal portion at each of its points and greater than the curvature of the distal portion at each of its points.