In a study performed by researchers at Northwestern University Medical School in Chicago, a new permanent contraceptive device that blocks the fallopian tubes was shown to be safe and effective. Conceptus, Inc. designed the device, a fallopian tube microcoil that encourages tissue growth in the fallopian tubes, to be an alternative to surgical tubal ligation. The device is inserted transcervically into the patient without the use of general anesthesia and without the need for a lengthy hospital admission. According to Conceptus, Inc, 700,000 surgical tubal ligations are performed in the U.S. each year.
Conceptus, Inc. has applied for the first of five pre-market approvals from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to make this contraceptive device available in the U.S. The company has previously received permission to market their device, under the name Essure, in Canada and in the European Union, and the device is already available in Australia.
