Gel-based seals and fixation devices and associated systems and methods

Abstract

A human female contraceptive device and a method for placing a human female contraceptive device are disclosed. The contraceptive device includes a lumen surface-conforming occlusive agent that is shaped to occlude a fallopian tube of a human female and a skeleton affixed to the occlusive agent. The skeleton further includes a cavity-conforming material that is shaped to fit at a junction of a uterus and the fallopian tube of the human female; and anchors affixable onto the skeleton and into the myometrium of the uterus of the human female. The method include the steps of fitting an occlusive agent sized to occlude at least a portion of the channel of a fallopian tube of the human female and placing a skeleton at a junction of a uterus and the fallopian tube of the human female as an anchor for the collusive agent.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A human female contraceptive device comprising:
 a lumen surface-conforming occlusive agent that is shaped to occlude a fallopian tube of a human female; and   a skeleton affixed to the occlusive agent, comprising:
 a cavity-conforming material that is shaped to fit at a junction of a uterus and the fallopian tube of the human female; and 
 anchors affixable onto the skeleton and into the myometrium of the uterus of the human female. 
   
     
     
         2 . The human female contraceptive device of  claim 1 , the cavity-conforming material further comprising:
 a cap on a uterus-facing aspect of the cavity-conforming material.   
     
     
         3 . The human female contraceptive device of  claim 2 , wherein the cap comprises one of a solid or a perforated material. 
     
     
         4 . The human female contraceptive device of  claim 2 , wherein the cap comprises a shape that is formed to a shape of the junction of the uterus and the fallopian tube of the human female. 
     
     
         5 . The human female contraceptive device of  claim 2 , wherein the cap comprises a rounded shape. 
     
     
         6 . The human female contraceptive device of  claim 2 , wherein the cap comprises a shape that resiliently or non-resiliently deforms to the shape of the uterus near the junction of the uterus and the fallopian tube of the human female. 
     
     
         7 . The human female contraceptive device of  claim 1  wherein the cavity-conforming material comprises a cavity surface-conforming material. 
     
     
         8 . The human female contraceptive device of  claim 1 , wherein the cavity-conforming material comprises dimensions defined by the specific shape and conformation the junction of the uterus and the fallopian tube of a particular individual. 
     
     
         9 . The human female contraceptive device of  claim 8 , wherein the dimensions of the cavity-conforming material are defined through measurements of the specific shape and conformation of the junction of the uterus and the fallopian tube of the particular individual. 
     
     
         10 . The human female contraceptive device of  claim 9 , wherein the cavity-conforming material comprises a state-changing material, further comprising:
 an activating agent operable to trigger a state change of the state-changing material upon application to the state-changing material,   wherein the activating agent is applied to the state-changing material upon the skeleton being fitted into place at the opening of the uterus and the fallopian tube.   
     
     
         11 . The human female contraceptive device of  claim 1 , wherein the occlusive agent is further sized to also conform to the shape of the junction of the uterus and the fallopian tube. 
     
     
         12 . The human female contraceptive device of  claim 1 , wherein the skeleton is physically attached to the myometrium of the uterus upon the skeleton being fitted into place at the opening of the uterus and the fallopian tube. 
     
     
         13 . The human female contraceptive device of  claim 12 , wherein the anchors comprise at least one of hooks and a hooking material, anchors comprise at least one of pins and a pinning material, staples and a stapling material, and sewing materials. 
     
     
         14 . The human female contraceptive device of  claim 1 , wherein the occlusive agent comprises a state-changing material, further comprising:
 an activating agent operable to trigger a state change of the state-changing material upon application to the state-changing material,   wherein the activating agent is applied to the state-changing material upon the skeleton being fitted into place at the opening of the uterus and the fallopian tube.   
     
     
         15 . The human female contraceptive device of  claim 1 , wherein the cavity-conforming material comprises a state-changing material, further comprising:
 an activating agent operable to trigger a state change of the state-changing material upon application to the state-changing material,   wherein the activating agent is applied to the state-changing material upon the skeleton being fitted into place at the opening of the uterus and the fallopian tube.   
     
     
         16 . The human female contraceptive device of  claim 15 , wherein the activating agent is operable to trigger the state change by a polymerization of the state-changing material upon application to the state-changing material. 
     
     
         17 . The human female contraceptive device of  claim 1 , further comprising a bulbous portion engaged with a distal aspect of the occlusive agent. 
     
     
         18 . The human female contraceptive device of  claim 1 , further comprising a scaffolding integrated with the occlusive agent and sized to fit within the channel of the fallopian tube. 
     
     
         19 . The human female contraceptive device of  claim 18 , wherein the scaffolding is operatively separable from the occlusive agent upon the skeleton being fitted into place at the opening of the uterus and the fallopian tube. 
     
     
         20 . The human female contraceptive device of  claim 18 , wherein the scaffolding is comprised as part of the skeleton. 
     
     
         21 . The human female contraceptive device of  claim 18 , wherein the scaffolding comprises a biological material. 
     
     
         22 . The human female contraceptive device of  claim 18 , wherein the scaffolding comprises a nanoparticle material. 
     
     
         23 . The human female contraceptive device of  claim 18 , wherein the scaffolding comprises a state-changing material, further comprising:
 an activating agent operable to trigger a state change of the state-changing material upon application to the state-changing material,   wherein the activating agent is applied to the state-changing material upon the skeleton being fitted into place at the opening of the uterus and the fallopian tube.   
     
     
         24 . The human female contraceptive device of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the occlusive agent and the cavity-conforming material comprises a biological material. 
     
     
         25 . The human female contraceptive device of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the occlusive agent and the cavity-conforming material comprises a nanoparticle material. 
     
     
         26 . The human female contraceptive device of  claim 1 , wherein the occlusive agent comprises a gelatinous elastomer. 
     
     
         27 . The human female contraceptive device of  claim 1 , further comprising a self-healing material. 
     
     
         28 . The human female contraceptive device of  claim 27 , further comprising integral nanoparticles operable to interact with the self-healing material upon application to an activating agent. 
     
     
         29 . The human female contraceptive device of  claim 28 , wherein the integral nanoparticles are comprised in the self-healing material. 
     
     
         30 . A method for placing a human female contraceptive device, comprising the steps of:
 fitting an occlusive agent sized to occlude at least a portion of the channel of a fallopian tube of a human female; and   placing a skeleton, comprising the steps of:
 fitting a material engaged with the occlusive agent at a junction of a uterus and the fallopian tube of the human female; and 
 retaining the occlusive agent in place in the fallopian tube by fixedly attaching the material with anchors into the myometrium of the uterus. 
   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising the step of:
 applying electromagnetic energy.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the application of electromagnetic energy comprises the application of an electromagnetic waveform. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the electromagnetic waveform comprises electromagnetic energy in the ultraviolet spectrum. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising the step of:
 applying magnetic energy.   
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising the step of:
 applying a kinetic agent.   
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the application of the kinetic agent comprises the application of mechanical energy. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the application of the kinetic agent comprises the application of thermal energy. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising the step of:
 applying ultrasonic energy.   
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising the step of:
 applying a chemical agent.   
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the chemical agent is operable to trigger the state change by a change in pH of the state-changing material upon application to the state-changing material. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the application of the chemical agent comprises the application of a gas. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the occlusive agent comprises a state-changing material, further comprising the step of:
 triggering a state change by a polymerization of the state-changing material.   
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the occlusive agent comprises a state-changing material, further comprising the steps of:
 introducing an activating agent operable to trigger a state change of the state-changing material; and   adding integral nanoparticles operable to interact with the activating agent.   
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the activating agent comprises at least one of a nanoparticle material and a biological material. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising the step of:
 reducing the occlusive agent to a size that will neither fit within nor occlude the fallopian tube.   
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising the step of:
 applying a chemical agent.   
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein the chemical agent is operable to trigger the state change by a change in pH of the state-changing material upon application to the state-changing material. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising the step of:
 applying a gas.   
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising the step of:
 adding a cap on a uterus-facing aspect of the material.