Container for fertilization of human ovocytes in the absence of

Details Container for fertilization of human ovocytes in the absence of Container for fertilization of human ovocytes in the absence of

1987-07-06

1990-02-20

Rosenbaum, C. Fred

Surgery

Container for blood or body treating material, or means used...

600 33, 600 34, 435296, A61B 1900

Patent

active

049022865

DESCRIPTION:

BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention concerns a totally new procedure for fertilizing human ovocytes, making use of a device that we will describe.
In vitro fertilization of human ova is a very complex technique which permits a solution for cases of infertility of couples which up to then were irreversible. Since the first birth, of Louise Brown, in 1978, achieved by the Edwards team in England, thousands of children have been born worldwide through this technique.
The major concern of all teams working in vitro fertilization has always been to obtain a simplification of the technique while maintaining or improving the results. Thus from the clinical standpoint there has appeared:
stimulation to obtain a plurality of ovocytes thereby increasing the chances of success,
methods of ovarian puncture other than under coelioscopic control, namely under transvesical, then transvaginal and finally transurethral ultrasonic control which enabled general anesthesia to be eliminated and possible CO.sub.2 toxicity to be avoided. From the biological standpoint the freezing of supernumerary embryos has permitted an improvement of results. Only the biological stage of fertilization per se has undergone but minimal changes.
It has remained very complex to date. Conventionally it involved aerobic or sterile culturing of embryos in a box or tube at 37.degree. C. and under a 5% CO.sub.2 atmosphere. This requires non-hermetically sealed boxes or tubes with a risk of contamination by the surroundings. Hence the need for a CO.sub.2 incubator (developed by "Testart") perfectly controlled at 37.degree. C. and in CO.sub.2. This equipment is cumbersome and expensive.
Similarly, initially, after puncture, one proceeded to a 1-to-4 hour maturation phase of the ovocytes in a culture medium usually enriched with human serum and, after this period, the fertilization of the ovocytes, changing the medium 18 to 24 hours after the stripping of the ova was effected. (This stripping involves the mechanical removal of the cumulus surrounding the ovum to observe the stage of development.) The ovum was then transferred to a new medium which after 20 to 24 hours was again changed before transfer into the uterine cavity, which involved the use of more than 3 ml of culture medium per ovum and numerous manipulations spread over 48 hours, which could be toxic to the ova.
The procedure that we have developed and whose scientific steps we will summarize is characterized by its simplicity and savings in time and money.
This procedure comprises fertilization of human ovocytes in the absence of CO.sub.2 -enriched air with the help of a fluidtight tube completely filled with culture medium that is placed in the vagina cavity which then serves as an incubator. Upon puncture of the ovocytes which was delayed (so as to avoid the ovocyte maturation phase), they are placed in the container along with the spermatozoa necessary for fertilization which were previously prepared. Then the device with its holding means is placed in the vaginal cavity from where it will be removed 44 to 48 hours later in order to reintroduce the ova in the uterine cavity by means of a "Frydman" catheter.
The invention will be better understood by consideration of the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a cross sectional view of a container according to the present invention;
FIGS. 1A and 1B are schematic views showing the methods of using the container of FIG. 1;
FIG. 2A is an elevational view of a pouch and ring for maintaining the container of FIG. 1 in place; and
FIG. 2B is an edgewise view, partly broken away, of the structure showing in FIG. 2A.
We are going to describe an embodiment of the container which constitutes the device (FIG. 1).
It is cylindrical tube of small dimensions, with smooth and rounded outer walls (1) in order to avoid any trauma to the vaginal mucosa. Its approximate dimensions are 4 cm long and 1.5 cm outer diameter; the thickness of the walls is 2 mm for the body (2) of the cylinder except in the region of the neck (3) wh

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