Uterine lavage for embryo retrieval
Inventors
Buster, John E. • Cesario, Moses • Woodard, Steven Paul
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-9216037-B2
Publication Date
2015-12-22
Expiration Date
Abstract
A device for recovering one or more blastocysts from the uterus of a human includes an outer guide member for insertion into a cervical canal of the human. The outer guide member includes a distal portion with an activatable seal for isolating the uterus from the external environment and defines a lumen having a longitudinal axis. The device also includes an inner catheter located within the lumen and slidable along the longitudinal axis of the lumen relative to the outer guide member. The inner catheter has a distal tip positionable distally of the seal to extend into the uterus and includes a fluid delivery lumen terminating at a distal fluid delivery port for delivering fluid into the uterus. The device defines a distal suction port for aspirating fluid and entrained blastocysts from the uterus. The distal fluid delivery port and the distal suction port are arranged such that, in use, fluid delivered from the distal fluid delivery port travels through the distal suction port to the uterus.
Core Innovation
The invention provides a process for recovering one or more blastocysts from the uterus of a human using trans-vaginal placement of a device into the cervical canal. The process cyclically delivers fluid through the device to the uterus in at least two cycles, with the first cycle delivering a first amount of fluid to form a first puddle encompassing the one or more blastocysts and applying a vacuum to aspirate fluid and entrained blastocysts within the first puddle from the uterus.
In the second cycle, a larger amount of fluid is delivered to form a second, larger puddle, and a vacuum is applied to aspirate fluid from the uterus. The system-level concepts include a fluid delivery port and a suction port provided so that, in use, fluid is deliverable from the fluid delivery port to travel through the suction port to the uterus.
The described implementations also include an outer guide member with an activatable cervical seal and formable cervical positioning, and an inner, slidable catheter with a distal atraumatic tip. Controller-driven operation cyclically delivers lavage liquid and applies vacuum, including remote vacuum control concepts, and uses cyclic variation and/or increasing fluid amount to stage puddle formation across cycles.
Claims Coverage
Not explicitly available as a full claim set; based on the provided independent claim, the coverage centers on a cyclic puddle-forming lavage and vacuum aspiration process in at least two cycles, with a fluid delivery port and suction port configuration such that delivered fluid travels through the suction port to the uterus.
Cyclic puddle-forming lavage and vacuum aspiration in at least two cycles
Cyclically delivering fluid through the device to the uterus in at least two cycles, where the first cycle delivers a first amount of fluid to form a first puddle encompassing one or more blastocysts and applies a vacuum to aspirate fluid and entrained blastocysts within the first puddle, and where the second cycle delivers a larger amount of fluid to form a second, larger puddle and applies a vacuum to aspirate fluid from the uterus.
Trans-vaginal cervical canal placement of a device
Placing a device trans-vaginally into the cervical canal and delivering fluid through the device to the uterus in cyclic lavage and vacuum aspiration cycles.
Fluid delivery port travel through suction port to the uterus
Providing a fluid delivery port for delivering fluid into the uterus and a suction port for aspirating fluid and entrained blastocysts from the uterus such that, in use, fluid is deliverable from the fluid delivery port to travel through the suction port to the uterus.
The independent claim coverage requires a human uterine blastocyst recovery process using trans-vaginal placement into the cervical canal, at least two cyclic lavage and vacuum aspiration cycles with staged puddle sizes, and a port configuration in which delivered fluid travels through the suction port to the uterus.
Stated Advantages
Supports recovering one or more blastocysts from the uterus of a human using cyclic lavage and vacuum aspiration.
First cycle forms a puddle encompassing the blastocysts and applies vacuum to aspirate fluid and entrained blastocysts from the uterus.
Second cycle forms a larger puddle and applies vacuum to aspirate fluid from the uterus.
Fluid delivered through the fluid delivery port is configured to travel through the suction port to the uterus.
Documented Applications
Recovering one or more blastocysts from the uterus of a human.
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