An airway implant device for maintaining and/or creating an opening in air
passageways is disclosed. Methods of using the device are also disclosed.
The airway implant device comprises a deformable element to control the
opening of an air passageway. Preferably the deformable element is an
electroactive polymer element. Energizing of the electroactive polymer
element provides support for the walls of an air passageway, when the
walls collapse, and thus, completely or partially opens the air
passageway. Methods of treating airway disorders such as sleep apnea and
snoring with the airway implant device are disclosed herein. In one
embodiment, the airway implant device includes a self-charging element.
The self-charging element is typically an electroactive polymer which
generates energy during its movement and this energy is used to activate
the deformable element of the airway implant device.