Two unrelated Transit Portals: 1. Cervix, 2. Pyloric Valve

A competent cervix is necessary for maintaining viable pregnancies and preventing intrauterine death from prolapsed cord. Current solutions are either highly invasive or too simplistic to guarantee long term efficacy. Standard of care is to suture the cervix closed until time of delivery. The mother and baby are subjected to risks of surgery under anesthesia. The other option is a “one size fits all” flexible ring placed around the neck of the cervix.

An incompetent pyloric valve does not permit completing the digestive stage of the stomach via enzymes and acid and peristaltic mixing. Sugar digestion begins with enzymes in saliva and continues to simple sugars in the stomach. When poorly digested sugary food transits to the duodenum past the portal system, an insulin surge occurs which results in an often severe hypoglycemic event for the individual.

The objective of this project is to create a non-invasive cerclage of cervix that is efficacious for positioning and sizing. In addition, students will create an artificial pyloric valve either invasive or non-invasive that results in small, periodic boluses to duodenum that natural peristalsis of stomach creates. The following design considerations should be made:

 Cervix- create non invasive anchoring to neck of cervix and adjustable sizing.  Pyloric valve

o Non-invasive – determine the physics of force and periodicity of peristalsis. Intra-

stomach device must have a flexible anchored tether that stretches with peristalsis and opens stomach exit to release small bolus.

o Invasive – tether at attached to stomach lining. o Invasive – external pyloric rings activated periodically to dilate

Project Mentor:

Engineering Mentor: Christine King, PhD, Department of Biomedical Engineering, UC Irvine, kingce@uci.edu

Physician Mentor: Timothy Flannery, MD, Department of Endocrinology, CHOC, tflannery@choc.org

Team: