SBIR Phase I: Novel Laparoscopic Device for treatment of Varicocele

这个小企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力是推进一种新的程序的翻译，以解决精索静脉曲张，男性不育的最常见原因。仅在美国，精索静脉曲张就影响了大约3000万男性，是150多万非自愿不育夫妇的直接原因。它还与睾丸疼痛、勃起功能障碍和游离睾酮水平低有关。目前的治疗方法取得了不同程度的成功，只有50%的患者注意到精子参数有50%的改善，高达37%的患者没有任何变化。精索静脉曲张的治疗自1929年以来一直没有改变，包括结扎或阻塞精索内静脉，这是睾丸的主要引流途径。这个项目将提出一种新的治疗方法。这个小企业创新研究（SBIR）一期项目旨在利用一种高效的治疗精索静脉曲张的方法。尽管外科结扎手术已显示出良好的临床疗效，但技术难度和低成功率促使其他治疗方式。该手术是在20世纪80年代提出的，基于对精索静脉曲张病理生理的血液动力学的深入了解。初步检查显示并发症发生率较低，完全消除鞘膜积液形成，复发率可达0.2%，恢复时间更快。这个项目将推进一项简化程序的技术。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is to advance translation of a new procedure to address varicocele, the most common cause of male infertility. Varicocele affects approximately 30 million men in the US alone and is the direct cause of over 1.5 million involuntary infertile couples. It is also associated with testicular pain, erectile disfunction, and low free testosterone. Current treatments have varying success, with only 50% of patients noticing 50% improvement in sperm parameters and up to 37% of patients showing no change. The treatment for varicocele has not changed since 1929 and consists of ligation or occlusion of the internal spermatic vein, the primary route of drainage for the testis. This project will advance a new method of treatment. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project aims at leveraging a highly effective procedure proposed to treat Varicocele. Even though surgical ligation procedures have shown promising clinical efficacy, the technical difficulty and low success rates motivate other treatment modalities. This procedure was proposed in the 1980s based on an advanced understanding of hemodynamics responsible for the pathophysiology of varicocele. Preliminary tests suggest lower complication rates and complete elimination of hydrocele formation, recurrence rate of up to 0.2%, and faster recovery times. This project will advance a technology to simplify the procedure.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.