Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods and apparatuses for treating snoring by implanting a stimulating electrode into a patient. The electrode is placed in stimulating contact with an airway passage-controlling muscle of the patient. The electrode is energized to contract the muscle and alter the airway passage.

Abstract: A pharyngeal airway having a pharyngeal wall of a patient at least partially surrounding and defining the airway is treated by selecting an implant dimensioned so as to be implanted at or beneath a mucosal layer of the pharyngeal wall and extending transverse to said wall. The implant has mechanical characteristics for the implant, at least in combination with a fibrotic tissue response induced by the implant, to stiffen said pharyngeal wall to resist radial collapse. The implant is implanted into the pharyngeal wall transverse to a longitudinal axis of the airway.

Abstract: A method for revascularizing a coronary vessel with a conduit through the heart wall having a diameter transition in the myocardial leg, wherein blood flow is in the direction of transition from larger to smaller diameter. A method for revascularizing a coronary vessel using an implant with a myocardial leg having a maximum cross-sectional area proximate a first end, and inserting the first end through the myocardium into a heart chamber so that the implant directs blood flow into the coronary vessel. A transmyocardial implant with a myocardial leg including point of minimum diameter and a first end with a larger diameter, and a vessel leg in fluid communication with the myocardial leg.

Abstract: A method for treating at least one of a plurality of disorders characterized at least in part by vagal activity includes positioning an electrode at a body organ innervated by the vagus. An electrical signal is applied to the electrode to modulate vagal activity. The electrical signal is applied at a frequency in excess of 3,000 Hz for the signal to create a neural conduction block to the vagus with the neural conduction block selected to at least partially block nerve impulses on the vagus.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for treating snoring of a patient includes providing an implant for altering a dynamic response of a soft palate of the patient to airflow past the soft palate. The implant is embedded in the soft palate to alter the dynamic response. The implant has multiple fibers braided along a length of the implant.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for treating patients suffering from involuntary movement disorders (including epilepsy) by stimulating a selected cranial nerve of the patient with an electrical signal applied to induce a signal at brain by applying an electrical signal at the nerve to ameliorate the disorder and by applying a neural conduction block at the nerve selected to at least partially block nerve impulses on said nerve at a blocking site and reduce adverse effects of said signal on an organ.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for treating patients suffering from obesity or eating disorders by applying a predetermined stimulating signal to the patient's vagus nerve appropriate to alleviate the condition and by applying a neural conduction block to the vagus nerve at a blocking site with the neural conduction block selected to at least partially block nerve impulses on the vagus nerve at the blocking site.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for treating snoring of a patient includes providing an implant for altering a dynamic response of a soft palate of the patient to airflow past the soft palate. The implant is embedded in the soft palate to alter the dynamic response. The implant has multiple fibers braided along a length of the implant.

Abstract: A method for treating at least one of a plurality of disorders characterized at least in part by vagal activity includes positioning an electrode around a body organ innervated by the vagus. An electrical signal is applied to the electrode to modulate vagal activity. The electrical signal is applied at a frequency selected for the signal to create a neural conduction block to the vagus with the neural conduction block selected to at least partially block nerve impulses on the vagus. The application of the electrical signal is discontinued. The application of the signal and the discontinuing of the signal are repeated with durations of the discontinuing and the application selected to treat the disorder.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for treating snoring of a patient includes providing an implant for altering a dynamic response of a soft palate of the patient to airflow past the soft palate. The implant is embedded in the soft palate to alter the dynamic response. For example, the implant has a mass, stiffness or dampening sufficient to alter the dynamic response following the implantation without substantially impairing a function of the soft palate to close a nasal passage of the patient during swallowing.

Abstract: Apparatus and accompanying method(s) for digitally scaling, particularly reducing, an original image to yield a scaled image particularly suited for display by a document workstation in an image management system as one image in a composite multi-image display. Reduction scaling is achieved by logically combining pixels values in each block of pixels in an original bi-tonal image, preferably through an "OR" operation, in order to generate a corresponding single pixel value in a scaled bi-tonal image. To reduce the original image by a non-integer scale factor, the pixel blocks that form the original image are assigned differing groupsizes that periodically vary on a two-dimensional pattern from block to block throughout the original image. The average value of the periodic variation occurring in each direction throughout a sufficiently large two-dimensional area in the original image substantially equals the fractional portion of the non-integer scale factor.