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Completed

NCT Number: NCT05320289

Feasibility Study of the AblaCare System in Transvaginal Ablation of Ovarian Tissue Under ULTRAsound Visualization in Women With Infertility Due to Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

The objective of the study is to provide preliminary evidence for the safety and effectiveness of the AblaCare System in transvaginal ablation of ovarian tissue under ultrasound visualization in women with infertility due to polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) who have not responded to first-line ovulation induction treatment or are contraindicated for or decline such treatment.

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Key information

Age range

18 year–40 year

Sex eligibility

Female

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

University of Oklahoma

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, 73104, United States

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Age: ≥ 18 to ≤ 40 years
  • Diagnosis of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) according to Rotterdam criteria: Infertility associated with chronic anovulation or oligomenorrhea, AND EITHER:

2.1. Ultrasonographic evidence of PCOS (ovarian volume ≥ 10ml and/or ovarian antral follicle count per ovary ≥ 20) OR 2.2. Evidence of hyperandrogenaemia: either clinical (hirsutism defined as mFG level ≥ 4-6 depending on ethnicity) or biochemical (raised serum concentration of androgens (testosterone ≥ 2.5nmol/l, or FAI > 4)

  • At least one ovary with ovarian volume ≥ 10ml
  • Ovarian accessibility: determined by ability to bring transvaginal ultrasound transducer into close proximity to ovaries
  • Failure to respond to first-line pharmacological treatment or is contraindicated for or decline such treatment.
  • At least one patent fallopian tube and normal uterine cavity as determined by sonohysterogram, hysterosalpingogram, or hysteroscopy/laparoscopy within the last 3 years
  • Willing to comply with Clinical Investigation Plan-specified follow-up evaluation
  • Ability to understand study requirements and has sufficient fluency in one of the IRB-approved written translation of the Patient Information and Informed consent form
  • Signed informed consent
  • Normal sperm parameters based on WHO 2010 criteria (concentration ≥ 15 million/mL, total motility ≥ 40%, normal morphology ≥ 4%) within the last year
  • Ability to have regular vaginal intercourse during the study
  • No previous sterilization procedures (vasectomy, tubal ligation) that have been reversed

Exclusion criteria

  • Current pregnancy
  • Marked obesity, BMI > 40
  • Marked hyperandrogenism (FAI > 15)
  • Patient is currently participating in another investigational drug or device study that clinically interferes with the endpoints of this study
  • Patient not willing to stop all concomitant first-line oral medications at least 6 weeks prior to study procedure and until the 3-month endpoint is reached, and all other forms of ovulation-induction treatment until the 6-month endpoint is reached
  • Lack of capacity to give informed consent
  • Lack of capacity to follow Clinical Investigation Plan and study requirements including all study follow-up visits
  • Previous ovarian surgery: laparoscopic ovarian drilling, endometriosis surgery, ovarian cysts surgery
  • Patient with known or suspected periovarian adhesions
  • Transvaginal ultrasound transducer cannot be brought into proximity of both ovaries

Treatment and study plan

AblaCare System

Device

The intervention includes the short-term use of the AblaCare System, which is comprised of three elements: (1) the AblaCare Needle-Catheter Ablation Device (NCAD) (the Device) a 16G echogenic needle including a bipolar temperature-controlled RF ablation catheter which is clipped and secure onto a vaginal ultrasound probe; (2) the AblaCare Adapter which is clipped onto the ultrasound probe; and (3) the AblaCare Generator: a bipolar radiofrequency (RF) ablation platform utilizing the single use AblaCare NCAD for ovarian tissue ablation.

Once th patient is under conscious sedation, the physician guides the AblaCare system transvaginally with the use of a transvaginal ultrasound. Once the AblaCare device is safely and securely positioned, the physician will deliver radio frequency energy inside the ovary in order to ablate the tissue.

Primary outcomes

  1. Occurrence of at least one (1) ovulation between treatment and 3-month visit.

    Time frame: 3 months

Secondary outcomes

  1. Occurrence of at least one (1) ovulation between treatment and the 6-month visit with or without 1st line medication 3 months or more post-procedure

    Time frame: 6 months

  2. Successful completion of a complete ovarian tissue ablation procedure, which is defined as achievement of the desired number of ablations within each ovary under ultrasound visualization.

    Time frame: During procedure

Other outcomes

  1. Pain level after procedure completion measured by a Visual Analog Scale (VAS) from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst pain)

    Time frame: Immediately after procedure completion, at 7-day and at 30-day follow up

  2. Pain medication taken during procedure and after procedure

    Time frame: During procedure, at 7-day and at 30-day follow up

  3. Documented ovulation

    Time frame: Between week 2 and week 24 post-procedure

  4. Documented pregnancy

    Time frame: Between week 2 and week 24 post-procedure, at any point during the study

  5. Menstruation occurrences

    Time frame: From 3-month prior to baseline examination, at 7-day, 30-day, 3-, 6-, 9-, and 12-month follow up

  6. Fertility treatment taken

    Time frame: Up to 12 months

  7. Intercourse activity frequency

    Time frame: At 7- and 30-day, 3-, 6-, 9- and 12-month follow up

  8. Number of ablations performed per ovary and estimated achieved ablation % of total ovary volume

    Time frame: At procedure

  9. Time required to complete procedure, defined as time from first insertion of the ultrasound probe and AblaCare NCAD to the completion of the final ablation

    Time frame: At procedure

  10. Device performance of the AblaCare System, defined as a successful completion of a full ovarian tissue ablation procedure without device deficiency related to one component of the AblaCare system

    Time frame: At procedure

  11. Ovarian volume in mL

    Time frame: At baseline, 3-week, 3-month and 6-month follow up

  12. Ovarian antral follicle count per ovary

    Time frame: At baseline, 3-week, 3-month and 6-month follow up

  13. Ovary morphology: either defined as PCOS or not

    Time frame: At baseline, 3-week, 3-month and 6-month follow up

  14. AMH in pmol/l

    Time frame: At baseline, 3-month and 6-month follow up

  15. Testosterone in nmol/l

    Time frame: At baseline, 3-month and 6-month follow up

  16. Androstenedione in nmol/l

    Time frame: At baseline, 3-month and 6-month follow up

  17. LH in IU/l

    Time frame: At baseline, 3-month and 6-month follow up

  18. FSH in IU/l

    Time frame: At baseline, 3-month and 6-month follow up

  19. Free Androgen Index calculated as the ratio of total Testosterone in nmol/l divided by SHBG in nmol/l and multiplied by 100

    Time frame: At baseline, 3-month and 6-month follow up

  20. Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin (SHBG) in nmol/l

    Time frame: At baseline, 3-month and 6-month follow up

  21. Menstrual cycle pattern reported as regular, oligomenorrhea or amenorrhea

    Time frame: From 3-month prior to baseline examination, at 7-day, 30-day, 3-, 6-, 9-, and 12-month follow up

  22. Hirsutism evaluation

    Time frame: At baseline, 3-month and 6-month follow up

  23. Acne evaluation

    Time frame: At baseline, 3-month and 6-month follow up

  24. BMI

    Time frame: At baseline, 3-month and 6-month follow up

  25. Quality of life measure by the health-related Quality-of-Life Questionnaire for Women with PCOS at baseline

    Time frame: At baseline, 3-month and 6-month follow up

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

May Health

Industry

Registry information

Acronym: ULTRA-US

Important dates

Study start
2022
Primary completion
2022
Study completion
2023
First posted
Apr 11, 2022
Registry last updated
Nov 9, 2023

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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