US 12,115,365 B2
Device and method for unattended treatment of a patient
Tomás Schwarz, Prague (CZ); Lucia Jelínková, Prague (CZ); and Vojtech Kubík, Br̆evnov (CZ)
Assigned to BTL Healthcare Technologies A.S., Prague (CZ)
Filed by BTL Healthcare Technologies A.S., Prague (CZ)
Filed on Feb. 12, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/439,568.
Application 18/439,568 is a continuation of application No. 18/170,284, filed on Feb. 16, 2023, granted, now 11,896,816.
Application 18/170,284 is a continuation of application No. PCT/EP2022/080502, filed on Nov. 2, 2022.
Application PCT/EP2022/080502 is a continuation in part of application No. 17/664,161, filed on May 19, 2022, granted, now 11,878,167, issued on Jan. 23, 2024.
Application PCT/EP2022/080502 is a continuation in part of application No. 17/518,243, filed on Nov. 3, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2024/0181242 A1, Jun. 6, 2024
Int. Cl. A61N 1/04 (2006.01); A61N 1/36 (2006.01); A61N 1/40 (2006.01)
CPC A61N 1/0452 (2013.01) [A61N 1/0492 (2013.01); A61N 1/36034 (2017.08); A61N 1/40 (2013.01)] 30 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A device for a treatment of sleep apnea or snoring, comprising:
a main unit comprising:
an electric current generator configured to generate a pulsed electric current having a frequency in a range of 0.1 Hz to 12 kHz and a pulse duration in a range of 0.5 μs to 500 ms;
a user interface configured to allow an operator of the device to select a treatment protocol configured to provide a treatment of a sleep apnea or a snoring of a patient; and
a control unit configured to control the electric current generator according to the treatment protocol selected by the operator; and
an applicator configured to be coupled to a body part of the patient, the body part comprising a face, a neck, or a submentum, the applicator comprising:
a connector configured to couple the applicator with the electric current generator and comprising a contact;
a pad having a surface area in a range of 0.1 cm2 to 150 cm2 and configured to be coupled to the body part during a treatment, the pad comprising:
a flexible substrate comprising an underside configured to face the patient during the treatment; and
an electrode having a surface area in a range of 0.1 cm2 to 70 cm2 and coupled to the underside of the flexible substrate and configured to provide the pulsed electric current to the body part to cause a muscle stimulation of a muscle within the body part; and
a connecting part coupling the pad with the connector and comprising a conductive lead configured to electrically connect the electrode with the contact of the connector.