OOCYTE-HOLDING PIPETTE FOR SPERM INJECTION METHODS WITHOUT CYTOPLASMIC ASPIRATION

Abstract

The invention relates to an oocyte-holding pipette for sperm injection methods without cytoplasmic aspiration, comprising an elongate, narrow, hollow, cylindrical body, inside which runs a suction conduit that communicates with a working end in order to hold an oocyte, said working end being flared to form a funnel defining an internal conical cavity, the proximal end of which, of smaller diameter, communicates with the suction conduit and the distal end of which, of larger diameter, is dimensioned to receive the oocyte in a tight-fitting manner, such that, upon aspirating same via the suction conduit, the oocyte remains partially trapped inside and becomes deformed, changing from its spherical shape in the resting state to an oval shape that tensions the surface and increases the turgor.

Claims

1-5. (canceled)

6. Oocyte holding pipette for sperm injection procedures without cytoplasmic aspiration that, configured from a long, narrow and hollow cylindrical body, through which a suction conduit runs that communicates with a working end to hold an oocyte, is characterized in that said working end has a bell-shaped funnel-shaped configuration that defines an internal conical cavity, whose proximal end, of smaller diameter, communicates with the suction conduit and whose distal end, with a larger diameter, is dimensioned to tightly receive the oocyte in such a way that, when suction is applied to it through the suction conduit, is partially trapped inside to deform, from its spherical shape in a state of rest, to an oval shape that tightens its surface and increases its turgor.

7. Oocyte holding pipette for sperm injection procedures without cytoplasmic aspiration according to claim 6, characterized in that the cylindrical body is about 5 cm long and about 500 microns in external diameter, and the duct suction tube has about 80 microns of constant internal diameter throughout its length except for the point where it joins the working end in the shape of a funnel, existing at the outlet mouth of said conduit, coinciding with the proximal end of smaller diameter of said funnel, a constriction where its diameter is considerably reduced.

8. . Oocyte holding pipette for sperm injection procedures without cytoplasmic aspiration according to claim 7, characterized in that in the constriction the diameter of the duct is reduced to only about 17 microns.

9. Oocyte holding pipette for sperm injection procedures without cytoplasmic aspiration according to claim 6, characterized in that the internal conical cavity defining the working end in the shape of a funnel has a length of about 128 microns and an inner diameter, at its distal end with a larger diameter, of about 120 microns.

10. Oocyte holding pipette for sperm injection procedures without cytoplasmic aspiration according to claim 7, characterized in that the internal conical cavity defining the working end in the shape of a funnel has a length of about 128 microns and an inner diameter, at its distal end with a larger diameter, of about 120 microns.

11. Oocyte holding pipette for sperm injection procedures without cytoplasmic aspiration according to claim 8, characterized in that the internal conical cavity defining the working end in the shape of a funnel has a length of about 128 microns and an inner diameter, at its distal end with a larger diameter, of about 120 microns.

12. Oocyte holding pipette for sperm injection procedures without cytoplasmic aspiration according to claim 9, characterized in that the external diameter of the distal end of the funnel-shaped working end is about 180 microns.

13. Oocyte holding pipette for sperm injection procedures without cytoplasmic aspiration according to claim 10, characterized in that the external diameter of the distal end of the funnel-shaped working end is about 180 microns.

15. Oocyte holding pipette for sperm injection procedures without cytoplasmic aspiration according to claim 11, characterized in that the external diameter of the distal end of the funnel-shaped working end is about 180 microns.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] To complement the description that is being made and for the purpose of helping to better understand the features of the invention, a set of drawings is attached to the present specification as an integral part thereof in which the following is depicted in a non-limiting, illustrative manner:

[0020] FIG. 1 shows a side elevational view of the holding pipette object of the invention, with its general configuration and the main parts it comprises being observed.

[0021] FIG. 2 shows an enlarged view of detail A indicated in FIG. 1 and corresponding to the working end of the pipette, according to the invention, with the general configuration thereof being observed.

[0022] FIGS. 3 and 4 show respective enlarged views according to a longitudinal section view and an enlarged front elevational view, respectively, of the working end of the pipette shown in FIG. 2, with the configuration and dimensions thereof being observed in greater detail.

[0023] FIGS. 5 and 6 show respective schematic views of the mode of operation of the working end of the pipette of the invention for holding the oocyte by means of suction and deformation of the oocyte and without aspiration of its cytoplasm.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

[0024] In view of the mentioned figures and according to the numbering used, a non-limiting embodiment of the holding pipette of the invention can be seen therein, which pipette comprises the parts and elements indicated and described in detail below.

[0025] In this sense, as seen in said figures, the holding pipette (1) of the invention comprises an elongate, narrow, and hollow cylindrical body (100), inside which runs a suction conduit (101) that communicates with a working end (1a) for holding the oocyte (2), which end is characterized by having a flared funnel-shaped configuration defining an internal conical cavity (105), the smaller-diameter proximal end (102) of which communicates with the mentioned suction conduit (101), the larger-diameter distal end (103) being sized to receive the oocyte (2) in a tight-fitting manner, such that, upon aspirating same via suction conduit (101), the oocyte remains partially trapped inside and becomes deformed, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, changing from its spherical shape in the resting state to an oval shape that tensions the surface and determines a more turgid oocyte which facilitates the application of the injection pipette without having to previously aspirate the cytoplasm with the pipette.

[0026] In the preferred embodiment, the cylindrical body (100) has a length (L1) of about 5 cm and an external diameter (D) of 500 micra, and the suction conduit (101) has a constant internal diameter (d) of 80 micra along its entire length with the exception of the point at which it is joined to the funnel-shaped working end (1a), there being, in the outlet opening of said conduit (101), coinciding with the smaller-diameter proximal end (102) of said funnel, a constriction (104) where said diameter is reduced considerably to only about 17 micra.

[0027] Furthermore, the internal conical cavity (105) defining said funnel-shaped working end (1a) also preferably has a length (L2) of 128 micra and an internal diameter (d), at its larger-diameter distal end (103), of 120 micra, whereas the external diameter (D) of said distal end (103) of the working end (1a) is preferably 180 micra.

[0028] Having sufficiently described the nature of the present invention, as well as the manner of putting it into practice, it is not considered necessary to expand on this explanation so that one skilled in the art will understand its scope and the advantages derived from it, hereby stating that within its essential nature, the invention may be carried out to practice in other embodiments which differ in detail from that indicated by way of example and which will likewise attain the protection that is sought provided that its fundamental principle is not altered, changed, or modified.