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US 12,702,805 B2Granted
Methods and devices to prevent premature birth
AssigneeNine Medical, Inc.
InventorsRyan Kendall Pierce, Benjamin Kahn Cline
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and devices to affect types, proportion, quantity, distribution, or proliferation of microorganisms within a female reproductive system.
Claims20
A medical device, comprising:
- a device configured to assume a volume fully within a female reproductive tract, fully outside of a uterine cavity, between a first region of the female reproductive tract and a second region of the female reproductive tract, and at least partially surrounding a vaginal portion of a cervix;
- wherein the device is configured to occupy at least part of a path from a first site in a vagina of the female reproductive tract to a second site on the cervix, in a cervical canal of the cervix, or in the uterine cavity of the female reproductive tract;
- wherein the device includes a contacting region that is configured to impart a normal force that is in a direction perpendicular to and against a vaginal wall and/or a frictional force on the vaginal wall, from which results an opposing force that is opposite the normal force and/or an opposing frictional force that favors a stable position of the device;
- wherein the device is configured to provide at least one unobstructed path from the second site to the first site;
- wherein the device is configured to isolate the first region of the female reproductive tract from the second region of the female reproductive tract;
- and
- wherein the first region is a region where a type, proportion, quantity, distribution, or proliferation of a microorganism is suspected to be or to become present, and wherein the second region is a region where the type, proportion, quantity, distribution, or proliferation of the microorganism is unwanted.
4 more elements
A medical device, comprising:
- a device configured to assume a volume fully within a female reproductive tract, fully outside of a uterine cavity, and between a first region of the female reproductive tract and a second region of the female reproductive tract;
- wherein the device is configured to occupy at least part of a path from a first site in a vagina of the female reproductive tract to a second site on a cervix, in a cervical canal of the cervix, or in the uterine cavity of the female reproductive tract;
- wherein the device includes a contacting region that is configured to impart a normal force that is in a direction perpendicular to and against a wall of the female reproductive tract and/or a frictional force on the wall, from which results an opposing force that is opposite the normal force and/or an opposing frictional force that favors a stable position of the device;
- wherein the device is configured to provide at least one unobstructed path from the second site to the first site;
- and
- wherein the first region is a region where a first type, proportion, quantity, distribution, or proliferation of a microorganism is suspected to be or to become present, and wherein the second region is a region where the first type, proportion, quantity, distribution, or proliferation of the microorganism is unwanted.
3 more elements
A method of reducing risk of premature birth in a patient, comprising:
- (a) receiving a device configured to:
- (i) assume a volume fully within a female reproductive tract, fully outside of a uterine cavity, between a first region of the female reproductive tract and a second region of the female reproductive tract, and at least partially surrounding a vaginal portion of a cervix;
- (ii) occupy at least part of a path from a first site in a vagina of the female reproductive tract to a second site on the cervix, in a cervical canal of the cervix, or in the uterine cavity of the female reproductive tract;
- (iii) include a contacting region configured to impart a normal force perpendicular to and against a vaginal wall and/or a frictional force on the vaginal wall, from which results an opposing force opposite the normal force and/or an opposing frictional force that favors a stable position of the device;
- (iv) provide at least one unobstructed path from the second site to the first site;
- and
- (v) isolate the first region of the female reproductive tract from the second region of the female reproductive tract, wherein the first region is a region where a type, proportion, quantity, distribution, or proliferation of a microorganism is suspected to be or to become present, and wherein the second region is a region where the type, proportion, quantity, distribution, or proliferation of the microorganism is unwanted;
- (b) positioning the device in the female reproductive tract of the patient, thereby reducing risk of premature birth in the patient.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.