Device and method for opening an airway

Abstract

A device and a method for creating and/or maintaining an obstruction free upper airway. The device is configured to fit under the chin of a subject adjacent to the subject's neck at an external location corresponding approximately with the subject's internal soft tissue associated with the neck's anterior triangle. The device is capable of exerting negative pressure on the surface of a subject's neck, displacing the soft tissue forward and enlarging the airway.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A method of reducing snoring, comprising:
 placing a vessel against a surface of a subject's neck to seat a sidewall edge of said vessel under the chin of the subject adjacent to the subject's neck to form a chamber at an external location corresponding approximately with the subject's internal soft tissue associated with the neck's anterior triangle, said sidewall edge comprising an elastomeric seal which contacts the skin surface of the subject;   creating negative pressure within the chamber, wherein the negative pressure applies a force over the anterior triangle of the patients neck within the range of about 0.5 kg to about 6.68 kg;   identifying a signal corresponding with an acoustic signature of the subject with the at least one acoustic sensor and processing the signal with a microprocessor to detect a signal representative of the occurrence of snoring; and   causing the microprocessor to automatically adjust the level of negative pressure within the chamber to reduce snoring based on the signal representative of the occurrence of snoring.