Design of an everting balloon to deploy a microendoscope to the fallopian tubes

Abstract

The 5-year survival rate for ovarian cancer is only 45% largely due to lack of effective screening methods. Current methods include palpation, transvaginal ultrasound, and the CA-125 blood test. Finding disease reliably and at an early stage increase survival to 92%. We have designed and built a 0.7 mm endoscope for the early detection of ovarian cancer. Inserted transvaginally through the working channel of a hysteroscope, the falloposcope creates a minimally invasive procedure for the screening of high risk women. To improve the ease-of-use and safety of falloposcope deployment, we are working to create an everting balloon. Currently, the falloposcope would require a skilled user to operate due to the challenging anatomy of the fallopian tubes -a small opening from the uterus (< 1 mm), tortuous path, and delicate lumenal features. A balloon delivery system would gently open the fallopian tube and guide the falloposcope down the center of lumen. We show balloon design and discuss integration with the falloposcope prototype. We test possible mechanical damage to the tissue due to scraping, puncture, or overstretching. Successful introduction of the everting balloon to simplify falloposcope delivery could expand screening beyond specialized centers to smaller clinical locations.

Reversible Mechanical Contraception and Endometriosis Treatment Using Stimuli‐Responsive Hydrogels

“…Functional hydrogel blockage and stimuli-responsive removal was further assessed using burst pressure measurements on blocked, unblocked, and control porcine fallopian tube sections (Figure 5b; Figures S7-S9, Supporting Information). [30,46] For the expulsion of fully swollen hydrogels placed within the fallopian tube, average pressures of 558 mmHg (PL-Gels) and 255 mmHg (TD-Gels) were necessary. This significantly exceeds the highest measured intraabdominal pressure of 95 mmHg as well as normal physiological pressures of 50 mmHg observed in the fallopian tubes.…”