Method and apparatus for in-vitro fertilization and tubal occlusion
An apparatuses and methods to improve the effectiveness of in vitro fertilization are described. In one embodiment of a method, a patient suffers from infertility because of a tubal disease. The patient's ovaries are shut down, followed by over stimulation of the ovaries to produce at least one viable egg. After the at least one egg is harvested, a structure is placed in the diseased fallopian tube to functionally occlude the disease fallopian tube at least temporarily. Once the fallopian tube is occluded, in vitro fertilization of the harvested egg is performed. The fertilized eggs which become pre-embryos are subsequently implanted into the uterus of the patient.
1 . A method for in vitro fertilization comprising:
stimulating growth of follicles to produce at least one viable egg in an ovary;
harvesting at least one egg from the ovary of a patient;
placing a structure into a fallopian tube of the patient, the structure being configured to functionally occlude the fallopian tube at least temporarily;
occluding the fallopian tube in which the structure is placed to prevent any transfer of fluid between the tube and the uterine cavity;
fertilizing an egg, obtained from the harvesting, in vitro with a sperm from a donor; and
implanting a pre-embryo resulting from the fertilizing of the egg into a uterus connected to the fallopian tube.
2 . A method for in vitro fertilization as in claim 1 wherein from the at least one egg harvested, two or more eggs are fertilized and two or more eggs are frozen for future fertilization and wherein the method further comprises shutting down an ovary activity completely and wherein the structure has a material to cause growth of tissue into the fallopian tube.
3 . A method for in vitro fertilization as in claim 1 wherein a period of at least one week is elapsed after placing the structure to ensure growth of tissue in the fallopian tube to completely eliminate patency before implanting the pre-embryo into the uterus.
4 . A method for in vitro fertilization as in claim 1 wherein the patient or the patient's partner suffers from at least one cause of infertility including hydrosalpinx, endometriosis, a damaged fallopian tube, immunologic factors and other unexplained reasons causing infertility.
5 . A method for in vitro fertilization as in claim 1 wherein multiple eggs are harvested in an operation guided by an transvaginal ultrasound probe.
6 . A method for in vitro fertilization as in claim 1 wherein the pre-embryo is implanted using a fiber-optic guided catheter with a non-sticking surface coating such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE).
7 . A method for in vitro fertilization (IVF) comprising:
performing an IVF protocol for patient preparation and cell retrieval;
placing a structure to occlude at least temporarily a fallopian tube;
fertilizing an egg in vitro from the cell retrieval with a sperm from a donor; and
implanting a fertilized ovum, resulting from the fertilizing of the egg, into a uterus connected to the fallopian tube which is to be occluded or has been occluded by the structure.
8 . A method for IVF as in claim 7 wherein the structure occludes the fallopian tube via physical occlusion and wherein the cells which are retrieved in the cell retrieval protocol are oocytes.
9 . A method for IVF as in claim 7 wherein the structure in the fallopian tube promotes growth of tissue around and/or through the structure to occlude the fallopian tube.
10 . A method for IVF as in claim 7 where in the structure is placed in the fallopian tube by forming the structure in situ in the fallopian tube.
11 . A method for IVF as in claim 7 further comprising: verifying occlusion of the fallopian tube before implanting the fertilized ovum.
12 . A tubal occlusion device that physically blocks a fallopian tube to reduce the fallopian tube's role in infertility and increase in vitro fertilization (IVF) success.
13 . A device as in claim 12 wherein the tubal occlusion device prevents movement of material between a uterine cavity and the fallopian tube and elutes at least one drug to increase success of IVF.
14 . A device as in claim 12 wherein the tubal occlusion device promotes tissue growth and tubal occlusion and wherein the tubal occlusion device has a physical size which is designed to engage the walls of a fallopian tube that is enlarged by a disease.
15 . A method for performing an in vitro fertilization (IVF), the method comprising of placing a structure in a fallopian tube to at least temporarily treat the fallopian tube;
implanting a fertilized ovum into a uterus coupled to the fallopian tube.
16 . The method as in claim 15 wherein the structure treats the fallopian tube by occluding, at least temporarily, the fallopian tube, and wherein the structure is configured to improve the chances for full maturation of the fertilized ovum.
17 . The method as in claim 16 wherein the fertilized ovum is obtained by harvesting at least one egg from an ovary of a patient having the uterus and fertilizing the at least one egg with a sperm from a donor and wherein the fertilized ovum is either a single cell or a multi-cellular organism.
18 . The method as in claim 17 wherein the structure is placed after the implanting.
19 . The method as in claim 17 wherein the structure is placed before the implanting.
20 . The method as in claim 17 wherein the structure is placed in the fallopian tube by forming the structure in situ in the fallopian tube.
21 . The method as in claim 20 wherein the structure comprises a hydrogel formed in situ in the fallopian tube.
22 . The method as in claim 17 wherein the structure is a porous plug and wherein the placing comprises scaring the fallopian tube with at least one of energy or chemicals.
23 . The method as in claim 17 wherein the structure is expandable from a first configuration to a second configuration which is radially larger in at least one physical measurement than the first configuration and wherein the structure comprises at least one of a metal and a plastic.
24 . The method as in claim 19 further comprising:
verifying occlusion of the fallopian tube before implanting the fertilized ovum, and wherein the verifying comprises at least one of imaging with ultrasound and imaging with x-ray, and imaging with magnetic resonance imaging.
25 . The method as in claim 17 further comprising:
verifying placement of the structure in the fallopian tube, wherein the verifying comprises at least one of imaging with an endoscope, imaging with ultrasound, imaging with x-ray, and imaging with magnetic resonance imaging.
26 . The method as in claim 17 wherein the structure is removable through the use of a transcervical catheter.
27 . The method as in claim 17 wherein the structure is biodegradable such that the fallopian tube is no longer occluded after a period of time.
28 . The method as in claim 17 wherein the structure is configured to elute at least one drug to increase tissue ingrowth into the fallopian tube.
29 . The method as in claim 17 wherein the structure is configured to elute at least one drug to treat a diseased fallopian tube or uterus.
30 . The method as in claim 29 wherein the at least one drug treats at least one of endometriosis, hydorsalpinx, and fibroids.
31 . The method as in claim 29 wherein the at least one drug increases the chances for full maturation of the fertilized ovum.
32 . The method as in claim 29 wherein the structure comprises at least one of depots to elute the at least one drug and a layer which elutes the at least one drug.
33 . The method as in claim 17 wherein the structure has a physical size which is designed to forcibly engage the walls of a fallopian tube is enlarged by a disease.