David Latham Douglass, Age 7318 Redberry Rdg, Portola Valley, CA 94028

5456662, Oct 10, 1995

May 9, 1994

8/239658

Stuart D. Edwards - Los Altos CA
David L. Douglass - Woodside CA

A61B 100

604 22

A medical ablation method for reducing snoring wherein a flexible RF electrode wire surrounded by an insulating sleeve axially moveable thereon is inserted into an uvula; the sleeve is retracted to expose a predetermined portion of the electrode; and RF energy is applied to the uvula tissue through the electrode to cause internal lesions in the uvula and reduce snoring.

5624439, Apr 29, 1997

Aug 18, 1995

8/516779

Stuart D. Edwards - Los Altos CA
Edward J. Gough - San Carlos CA
David Douglass - Woodside CA

Somnus Medical Technologies, Inc. - Sunnyvale CA

A61B 124

606 45

An apparatus for treating air way obstructions, includes a first arm including a proximal end and a distal end, the first arm distal end is inserted into the throat and positioned adjacent to a back surface of the tongue. A second arm has a proximal end and a distal end. The second arm is positioned under the jaw. A coupling member couples the first arm with the second arm, permitting rotational movement of each arm about a longitudinal axis of the coupling member. A plurality of RF electrodes are positioned in the first arm. The plurality of RF electrodes are advanced into the back of the tongue and retracted out of the tongue and into the first arm, ablating a selected area of the back of the tongue.

5820580, Oct 13, 1998

Oct 3, 1996

8/726070

Stuart D. Edwards - Portola Valley CA
Ronald Lax - Palm City FL
David Douglass - Woodside CA

Somnus Medical Technologies, Inc. - Sunnyvale CA

A61B 1739

604 22

A method for reducing a volume of a tongue provides a source of ablation energy and an ablation energy delivery device. At least a portion of the ablation energy delivery device is positioned in an interior of the tongue. A sufficient amount of energy is delivered from the energy delivery device into the interior of the tongue to debulk a section of the tongue without damaging a hypoglossal nerve. Thereafter, the at least portion of the ablation energy delivery device is removed from the interior of the tongue.

5514131, May 7, 1996

Sep 23, 1994

8/311097

Stuart D. Edwards - Los Altos CA
David L. Douglass - Woodside CA

A61B 1739

606 45

A method of medical ablation of tissue accessible thorough the mouth or nose is disclosed having the steps of: a) inserting a probe through the mouth into the oral cavity, wherein said probe has a disposable electrode enclosed within an insulating sleeve bendable therewith; b) steering said probe through the oral cavity into close proximity to the tissue; c) extending the disposable electrode and the insulating sleeve out of the probe and penetrating the tissue; and d) applying RF energy to the tissue surrounding the electrode to effect ablation of said tissue.

5674191, Oct 7, 1997

Aug 18, 1995

8/516781

Stuart D. Edwards - Los Altos CA
Edward J. Gough - San Carlos CA
David Douglass - Woodside CA

Somnus Medical Technologies, Inc. - Sunnyvale CA

A61B 1700

604 22

An ablation apparatus includes a cannula with a distal end, a proximal end and a lumen. An anvil is coupled to the cannula and extends beyond the cannula distal end. The anvil has a distal end that extends in a lateral direction relative to an anvil longitudinal axis. The distal end is adapted to receive and position an uvula or other soft tissue. One or more energy delivery devices are slideably positioned in the cannula. The energy delivery devices are advanced and retracted in and out the cannula distal end. An advancement and retraction apparatus advances and retracts the energy delivery devices in and out of the cannula distal end and into the soft tissue retained at the anvil distal end. The soft tissue ablation apparatus can further include a handle with a lumen, a proximal end and a distal end. The cannula is at least partially positioned in the handle lumen and extends beyond the handle distal end.