Contraceptive Implant Could Halt Endometriosis Spread
Endometriosis is a gynecologic condition that affects around 190 million people worldwide.
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Researchers from ETH Zurich and the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa) have unveiled a novel hydrogel implant that not only serves as a contraceptive but also holds the potential to prevent and halt the spread of endometriosis. The study was published in Advanced Materials.
Retrograde menstruation
Endometriosis is a gynecologic condition that affects around 190 million people worldwide. The chronic disease is characterized by the development of endometrial-like tissue in places outside of the uterus, including the ovaries, pelvic lining and fallopian tubes.
Although the exact cause of the condition remains unclear, it is believed that menstrual blood may flow backward through the fallopian tubes into the abdominal cavity, termed retrograde menstruation. The menstrual blood contains cells from the endometrium, which, after settling in the abdominal cavity, could cause inflammation, pain and the formation of scar tissue.
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Subscribe for FREEHydrogels are a gel made from a type of plastic that binds water. They have a wide variety of uses in the medical world, such as in contact lenses, moisturizers, delivering doses of medication in the body and cleaning polluted water. The use of hydrogels in contraceptive methods has previously been investigated for male contraceptives and in animal models. However, none of these methods have managed to offer a long-acting, reversible and non-hormonal option for women.
Occluding the fallopian tubes
The researchers developed the first hydrogel implant designed for use in the fallopian tubes. The implants swell upon contact with liquid, meaning the implant can start off very small – around two millimetres in length. The hydrogel is implanted in the fallopian tubes through a non-surgical procedure using a hysteroscope, an instrument used to inspect the uterine cavity. Once implanted, the gel swells to more than double its original size to act as a barrier to sperm and blood.
“We discovered that the implant had to be made of an extremely soft gel – similar in consistency to a jelly baby – that does not impact native tissue and is not treated and rejected as a foreign body,” said Dr. Alexandre Anthis, lead author of the study and pioneer fellow at ETH Zurich.
A reversible contraceptive method
The novel implant also offers a reversible alternative to female sterilization, a commonly performed procedure for contraception and endometriosis treatment.
“Our hydrogel implant can be easily and quickly destroyed, either with UV light or a special solution, so that recipients don’t have to have an invasive and risky operation should they decide to reverse the procedure,” said corresponding author Dr. Inge Herrmann, a professor in the Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering at ETH Zurich.
To test whether the implant was compatible, it was first tested in ex-vivo experiments using human and animal fallopian tubes. The hydrogel was then tested in live pig models; after three weeks in the pigs, the implant was still in place and there were no signs of any foreign body reactions.
Getting ready to bring the implant to market
The researchers have submitted a patent for the implant, although it is still a way down the road until it can be brought to market. They are still unsure how the hydrogel will act long-term once implanted in the fallopian tubes, especially during strenuous physical activity.
The researchers are also unclear whether occluding the fallopian tubes is enough to prevent endometriosis.
“We’ve trawled through databases to find data relating to endometriosis patients who have had their fallopian tubes removed,” said Herrmann.
Information from these cases will hopefully offer insight into whether this procedure could help prevent the condition.
Assessing the ability to naturally conceive after prolonged fallopian tube implantation will also need to be investigated before the implant can be in use.
“So far, very little research has been done at the point where materials science, process engineering and gynaecology meet. But this is a vitally important area of research. We hope that our work will count as a meaningful step in the right direction,” said Herrmann.
Reference: Anthis AHC, Kilchenmann S, Murdeu M, et al. Reversible mechanical contraception and endometriosis treatment using stimuli‐responsive hydrogels. Adv Mater. 2024;36(23):2310301. doi: 10.1002/adma.202310301
This article is a rework of a press release issued by ETH Zurich. Material has been edited for length and content.
