An auxiliary airway for treating obstructive sleep apnea is formed by implanting an elongated conduit (50) beneath a pharyngeal wall of a pharynx. The elongated conduit has a proximal end (64) in communication with a first region of the pharynx, a distal end (62) in communication with a second region of the pharynx, and a section extending beneath the pharyngeal wall for bypassing an oropharynx region of the pharynx. The system includes a first opening (68) in the pharyngeal wall in communication with a first opening in the elongated conduit, and a second opening (70) in the pharyngeal wall in communication with a second opening in the elongated conduit. The system has a first anastomotic connector (500) for coupling the first opening in the pharyngeal wall with the first opening in the conduit, and a second anastomotic connector for coupling the second opening in the pharyngeal wall with the second opening in the conduit.
