An innovative approach to diagnosis in women's health

Pilar Coy

Universidad de Murcia, Spain

A new device has been developed to help doctors diagnose health problems in women, such as cancer of the uterus lining and difficulties with pregnancy. Today, to check for these problems, doctors often need to take a small piece of tissue from inside the womb. This procedure can be painful, uncomfortable, and sometimes does not give enough information because the sample is too small. Many people have to go through this more than once, or need other procedures that take longer and cost more.

This new device collects a small amount of fluid from inside the womb, using a soft and gentle method similar to how paper draws up water. This fluid contains important clues that help doctors find out if there are any health issues. Taking a sample this way does not hurt the tissue and is much more comfortable for the person being tested. The information from the fluid can be checked quickly and gives doctors a clear answer, sometimes in just a few minutes or hours, making the whole process easier and faster.

This device already has legal protection in some countries, and experts are working to have it approved in more places. Thanks to support from a special funding program, the team is preparing to make the device in larger quantities and to bring it into everyday use in hospitals and clinics. A new company has also been created to help make sure this device becomes widely available. In the future, this gentle way to test for diseases could make doctor visits easier for millions of people and help find and treat problems sooner, improving lives around the world.

DUFIC, a device for in vivo uterine fluid collection

Stage 3