Magnetically-driven robotic microscrew for the oviduct recanalization

Abstract

Blocked fallopian tubes, leading to tubal factor infertility, seriously affect fertility and pregnancy. The current mainstream surgical approach for tubal recanalization is based on conventional catheters and guidewires to clear the blockage. However, it is challenging to treat the distal tubal obstruction due to the large size of the tubal catheter and the poor steerability of the guidewire. Here, we present a magnetically driven robotic microscrew to clear blocked fallopian tubes based on a helical rotating mode. The microscale screw-shaped microrobot is fabricated by 3D microfabrication technology. The motion direction and speed of the microrobot are modulated by customizing the pattern and parameters of the control magnetic field. The microscrew structure generates mechanical force to drill the blockage, and then the destroyed fragments are transported to the tail of the robots via the vortex flow surrounding the microscrew. Finally, we demonstrate the recanalization effect of the proposed microrobot in the fallopian tube-mimicking phantom. The recanalizing microscrew represents a potential strategy for developing autonomous tools to treat the blockage of small lumens.