Abstract: Systems and methods incorporate implant structures, and/or implantation devices, and/or surgical implantation techniques, to make possible the treatment of physiologic conditions, such as sleep disordered breathing, with enhanced effectiveness.

Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods resist posterior movement of the tongue during sleep, thereby keeping an airway open. An implant device has a ferromagnetic structure that, when implanted, occupies only one lateral side of the tongue when implanted. The ferromagnetic structure magnetically interacts with a magnetized material placed in a desired relationship with the tongue to stabilize a preferred tongue orientation.

Abstract: A carrier is sized and configured for placement in or on a tissue region. The carrier includes at least one interior compartment. At least one ferromagnetic material is carried within the compartment. The compartment and the ferromagnetic material are mutually sized and configured to allow movement of the ferromagnetic material within the compartment in response to magnetic interaction with a magnetic material located outside the carrier. The magnetic interaction can include either a magnetic attracting force or a magnetic repelling force. The carrier can be used in association with a source of magnetism sized and configured for placement in or on a tissue region outside the carrier for magnetic interaction with the ferromagnetic material carried within the compartment, e.g., to stabilize the orientation of a tissue region within an airway.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for resisting posterior movement of the tongue during sleep, thereby keeping an airway open. The systems and methods employ a first structure that can be placed either in or on a tongue within an oral cavity and/or in a region of hyoid muscle. The first structure includes a ferromagnetic material. The systems and methods employ a second structure that can be placed either in or on external tissue outside the oral cavity and/or in or on external tissue outside the oral cavity in a desired relationship with the first structure. The second structure includes a magnetic material that magnetically interacts with the ferromagnetic material by attracting the ferromagnetic material, thereby resisting posterior movement of the tongue.

Abstract: A cannula is positioned to establish a subcutaneous access path into a cancellous bone. A bone filling material is conveyed into the cancellous bone with a tamping instrument configured to be manipulated independent of the cannula. The bone filling material is compacted with the tamping instrument.

Abstract: Devices, systems and methods employ magnetic force to resist tissue collapse in targeted pharyngeal structures and individual anatomic components within the pharyngeal conduit during sleep.

Abstract: Cancellous bone is accessed through a subcutaneous access path in soft tissue. A cavity is formed in cancellous bone by a cavity forming tool that is advanced through the subcutaneous access path into cancellous bone and manipulated to form the cavity. A measured volume of bone filling material is delivered into the cavity through the subcutaneous access path by a nozzle having an interior bore defining an interior volume sized for containing bone filling material, which is advanced through the subcutaneous access path. A nested instrument is formed while clearing residual bone filling material from the interior bore by an auxiliary tool that can be manipulated independently of the nozzle, which is advanced through the interior bore of the nozzle.

Abstract: A percutaneous path is created into a bone having an interior volume occupied, at least in part, by a cancellous bone, e.g., a vertebral body. An expandable stent structure is introduced into the cancellous bone by deployment of a tool through the percutaneous path into the cancellous bone. The expandable stent structure is expanded and the tool withdrawn, leaving the expandable stent structure expanded inside the cancellous bone. Expansion of the expandable stent structure within cancellous bone can, e.g., compact cancellous bone, and/or create a cavity in cancellous bone, and/or move fractured cortical bone.

Abstract: A percutaneous path is created into a bone having an interior volume occupied, at least in part, by a cancellous bone, e.g., a vertebral body. An expandable balloon structure is introduced into the cancellous bone by deployment of a tool through the percutaneous path into the cancellous bone. The expandable balloon structure is expanded and the tool withdrawn, leaving the expandable balloon structure expanded inside the cancellous bone. Expansion of the expandable balloon structure within cancellous bone can, e.g., compact cancellous bone, and/or create a cavity in cancellous bone, and/or move fractured cortical bone.

Abstract: A method for delivering material into bone deploys a cannula through soft tissue to establish a subcutaneous path into bone. The method deploys a cavity forming instrument through the cannula to form a cavity in cancellous bone. The method introduces a material into the cavity through the cannula, which includes the advancement of a tamping instrument through the cannula to urge material into the cavity.

Abstract: A percutaneous path is established into a selected bone having an interior volume occupied, at least in part, by a cancellous bone, e.g., a vertebral body. An expandable mesh structure is introduced into the cancellous bone by deployment of a tool through the percutaneous path into the cancellous bone. The expandable mesh structure is expanded within cancellous bone by conveying a material into the mesh structure. Expansion of the mesh structure can, e.g., compact cancellous bone, and/or form a cavity in cancellous bone, and/or move fractured cortical bone.

Abstract: A percutaneous path is established into a selected bone having an interior volume occupied, at least in part, by a cancellous bone, e.g., a vertebral body. An expandable stent structure is introduced into the cancellous bone by deployment of a tool through the percutaneous path into the cancellous bone. The expandable stent structure is expanded within cancellous bone.

Abstract: A flow path is established into cancellous bone within a vertebral body through a percutaneous path. A bone filling material is conveyed into the flow path in a volume and at a pressure that results in an enlargement of the flow path volume. The enlargement can create a cavity and/or move a fractured cortical plate of the vertebral body toward a desired anatomic position. The bone filling material can comprise, e.g., a bone cement.

Abstract: An access tool is sized and configured to establish an access path through soft tissue to bone having an interior volume occupied, at least in part, by cancellous bone. A cavity forming structure has an array of bristles having at least an expanded configuration and an collapsed configuration. The cavity forming structure is introduced through the access tool into the cancellous bone volume. Retraction and advancement of the array of bristles is controlled within the cancellous bone volume in synchrony with rotation of the distal end portion to create a cavity. Material can be conveyed into the cavity.

Abstract: A percutaneous path is created into a bone having an interior volume occupied, at least in part, by a cancellous bone, e.g., a vertebral body. An expandable structure is introduced into the cancellous bone by deployment of a tool through the percutaneous path into the cancellous bone. The expandable structure is expanded and the tool withdrawn, leaving the expandable structure expanded inside the cancellous bone. Expansion of the expandable structure within cancellous bone can, e.g., compact cancellous bone, and/or create a cavity in cancellous bone, and/or move fractured cortical bone.

Abstract: A percutaneous path is created into a bone having an interior volume occupied, at least in part, by a cancellous bone, e.g., a vertebral body. An expandable mesh structure is introduced into the cancellous bone by deployment of a tool through the percutaneous path into the cancellous bone. The expandable mesh structure is expanded and the tool withdrawn, leaving the expandable mesh structure expanded inside the cancellous bone. Expansion of the expandable mesh structure within cancellous bone can, e.g., compact cancellous bone, and/or create a cavity in cancellous bone, and/or move fractured cortical bone.

Abstract: A percutaneous path is established into a selected bone, e.g., a vertebral body, having an interior volume occupied, at least in part, by cancellous bone. A first bone filling material is conveyed through the percutaneous path into a region of the cancellous bone. A second bone filling material is conveyed through the percutaneous path into the region. The second bone filling material is different than the first bone filling material.

Abstract: A percutaneous path is established into a vertebral body, having an interior volume occupied, at least in part, by cancellous bone. A first bone filling material is conveyed through the percutaneous path into a region of the cancellous bone. A second bone filling material is conveyed through the percutaneous path into the region. The first and second bone filling materials can, e.g., incrementally create then enlarge a compressed region of cancellous bone, or displace the fractured cortical bone in increments.

Abstract: Magnetic structures develop a magnetic force between a tongue and a posterior pharyngeal wall to stabilize an orientation of the tongue.

Abstract: Systems and methods include magnetic structures for placement in or on tissues in an airway. The magnetic structures carry sources of magnetism, which generate magnetic fields having directions. The magnetic fields interact to provide magnetic forces that provide a desired therapeutic effect, e.g., maintaining separation between the soft palate and/or tongue and the posterior pharyngeal wall. The systems and methods size and configure the directions of the magnetic fields to provide stability, which makes possible the achievement of the desired therapeutic effect in a straightforward and elegant manner.