SBIR-STTR Award

The long-term objective of this research is to make available to urologists and specially trained teams of technicians throughout the world a single, reliable, low-cost macrosurgical vasovasostomy system. Offered in a restockable kit format, the armanentarium would include a vas lumen sizing gauge, a selection of flow-thru absorbable vas stents, micro sutures, a specially designed vas stabilizing clamp, and an intralumenal needle guide suturing aid. Use of the kit would reduce tissue trauma during surgery and simplify this technically demanding procedure to the extent that it could be performed quickly and reliably without a surgical microscope by personnel other than experienced microsurgeons. Popularization of the vasectomy as a highly reliable birth control method with excellent chances of reversibflity and a marked decrease in costs would be a direct result. Population control in areas of the world where vasectomy is culturally unpopular would also benefit by a simple, reliable, low-cost method of vasectomy reversal. Animal studies conducted at the University of Washington, Department of Urology, involving the performance and subsequent analysis of stent and nonstent vasovasostomies in rats and dogs, will establish the effectiveness and potential benefits offered by this system.National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)

The long-term objective is to make available to urologists and specially trained teams of technicians throughout the world a simple, reliable, lowcost macrosurgical vasovasostomy system. Offered in a restockable kit format, the armamentarium would include a vas lumen sizing gauge, a selection of flow-through absorbable vas stents, microsutures, an improved vas stabilizing clamp, and two special microforceps. Use of the kit would reduce tissue-trauma during surgery and simplify this technically demanding procedure to the extent that it could be performed quickly and with complete reliability without a surgical microscope by personnel other than experienced microsurgeons. Popularization of the vasectomy as a highly reliable birth control method with excellent chances of reversibility and a marked decrease in costs would be a direct result.Population control in areas of the world where vasectomy is culturally unpopular would also benefit by a simple, reliable, low-cost method of vasectomy reversal. Phase I animal studies have led to approval of a study of 195 human subjects, which will establish the effectiveness and potential benefits of this system.Awardee's statement of the potential commercial applications of the research:This kit will include a full selection of absorbable stents, a vas clamp, sizing gauge, and handling forceps and will be sold to urologists and qualified reproductive clinics throughout the world.National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)