WO2011145818A2

WO2011145818A2 - Apparatus and method for animal ovum pick-up using abdominal cavity images

Info

Publication number: WO2011145818A2
Application number: PCT/KR2011/003285
Authority: WO
Inventors: Sun Ho Choi; Sang Rae Cho; Chang Yong Choe; Dong Soo Son
Original assignee: Republic Of Korea (Management: Rural Development Administration)
Priority date: 2010-05-17
Filing date: 2011-05-03
Publication date: 2011-11-24
Also published as: KR101166778B1; KR20110126282A; WO2011145818A3

Abstract

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for animal ovum pick-up to improve animal improvement and multiplication by collecting quality eggs from genetically superior females without much impact. The present invention is to provide an apparatus for animal ovum pick-up to collect ovum while observing inside of the abdominal cavity of an animal such as cows or horses in real time. Further, the present invention is to provide a method for animal ovum pick-up.

Description

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR ANIMAL OVUM PICK-UP USING ABDOMINAL CAVITY IMAGES

Thepresent invention relates to an apparatus and method for animal ovum pick-up using abdominal cavity images, more particularly, to an apparatus and method for animal ovum pick-up to improve animal improvement and multiplicationby collecting quality eggs from genetically superior females without much impact.

Animal insemination is typically made by male’s mating. However, problems are that not only male must always be moving for mating, but also it takes considerable time for mating or it is not successful all the time.

Artificial insemination has been used in order to resolve these problems by inserting an injector in the uterine cervix, uterocervical canal and uterus with hand sense by putting a hand into an animal rectum and then placing frozen-thawed sperm and fertilized eggs into the female’s uterus without moving the male.

However, when such insertion is made only with hand sense, it has caused a lot of damages tofemale reproductive organs.

Therefore, there have been recently attempts to improve and increase the genetic quality of animals using in vitro fertilization by collecting living their eggs and sperm.

Living female’s eggs are retrieved by inserting an ultrasound probe of an ultrasonic diagnosis device, to which a needle is attached, into the vagina where mature follicles are located by checking with an imaging system.

However, there are difficulties in collecting eggs since high expenses is incurred due to use of an expensive ultrasonic diagnosis device and ultrasound images are not clear.

Contrived to solve the above technical problems, an object of the present invention is to providean apparatus and method for animal ovum pick-up using abdominal cavity images with vividly observing animal ova by inserting a metal cannula equipped with a camera at the front-endthereof, instead of a conventional ultrasonic diagnosis device, inside the abdominal cavityof the animal.

The present invention is to provide an apparatus for animal ovum pick-up to collect ova while observing inside of the abdominal cavity of an animal such as cows or horses in real time, the apparatus comprising a camera which is a CMOS type, a needle to collect ova mounted at the front-end of a metal cannula, a handle mounted to fix and control the metal cannula at the back-end of the metal cannula, and a LCD mounted integrally with the handle at the front-end of the handle, in which inside of the abdominal cavity of an animal is scanned by the camera and provided through the LCD vividly to show the position, where follicles are, and the follicles are then picked up through the needle.

Further, the present invention is to provide a method for animal ovum pick-up comprising: inserting a metal cannula equipped with a camera at the front-end thereof through a vaginal portion of an animal punching the abdominal cavity wall of the animal using a cutting knife projected at the front-end of the metal cannula observing inside the abdominal cavity wall of the animal scanned by the camera suctioning ovum and follicular fluid with vacuum pressure by operating a vacuum pump to transfer and store the ovum and follicular fluid to a testing tube.

The apparatus and method for animal ovum pick-up using abdominal cavity images of an animal according to the present invention provides the following advantages:

1. it facilitates to collect the animal ova by observing vividly inside the abdominal cavity of an animal and checking the position where follicles are located;

2. it allows collecting ova continuously without much impact by punching the abdominal cavity wall of an animal using a cutting knife which is mounted at the front-end of the metal cannula having a very small diameter,

3. it allows easy collection of animal ovaby creating vacuum inside the testing tube using a vacuum pump and suctioning them with the vacuum pressure, instead of a syringe, and

4. it allows collecting high quality of the animal ova continuously without much impact from genetically quality females, so that animal improvement and multiplication can be improved.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view illustrating an apparatus for animal ovum pick-up according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an extended sectional view illustrating the front-end of the metal cannula of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view illustrating the operation state of the cutting knife and the needle of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a view illustrating real collection of ova of an animal using the apparatus of FIG. 1.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view illustrating an apparatus for animal ovum pick-up according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an extended sectional view illustrating the front-end of the metal cannula of FIG. 1.

The present invention provides an apparatus and method for animal ovum pick-up using animal abdominal cavity images, which allows direct observation of the ovary(33) of a living female(28) with a camera(13).

The apparatus of the present invention comprises a camera(13) scanning the ovary(33) of a living female(28), a needle(21) collecting the animal ova using abdominal cavity images of the animal(28), a catheter(20), a vacuum pump(26) and the like.

A camera main body is mounted in the upper end of the handle(12)and processes videos taken by the camera(13) into electric video signals, so that inside of the abdominal cavity wall(32) and shapes of ovary(33) and egg follicles(34) can be observed.

A LCD display part(11) is mounted at the back side of the monitor main body(10) and presents visually the uterine cervix and the ovary(33) in the uterocervical canal to an operatorby receiving the video signals from the camera main body in the handle(12), so that the operator can confirm the position of the egg follicles(34)to be collected from the LCD monitor.

There may be several egg follicles(34) in the ovary(33) and each egg follicle(34) has one ovum.

The LCD display part(11) is combined to the handle(12) with a universal jointer and its angle can be adjusted in the direction of up and down and left and right.

The handle(12) is mounted at the back-end of the metal cannula(16) to support the metal cannula(16) to aim accurately into the abdominal cavity through the vaginal portion(30) of the animal(28). The handle(12)has space inside thereof to accept three of 1.5V AA-type batteries to supply light and power of various electric apparatuses.

The metal cannula(16) is mounted horizontally at the front upper end of the handle(12) and has a predetermined length to be inserted into the uterine cervix and uterocervical canal of the animal(28). The CMOS-type camera(13)is mounted in the front-end of the metal cannula(16).

The CMOS-type camera(13) can scana subject at a regular interval, without manual focusing. It is fixed to the metal cannula(16) and guided into the vaginal portion(30) of the female animal(28). It thus scans the uterine cervix and uterocervical canal of the animal(28) and the ovary(33) in the abdominal cavity by brightening the inside the uterus with optical fiber surrounding the camera(13).

A LED is mounted inside the handle(12) and provided with power being connected to the battery. Optical fiber is connected between the LED and the camera(13), so that the LED light passesthrough the optical fiber. The end part of the optical fiber is mounted to surround the camera(13) and light irradiates through from the optical fiber to a camera protecting cap(14).

Here, the camera protecting cap(14) not only protects the camera(13) but also allows taking photographs of a subject clearly by placing the camera(13) and the subject in a certain distance.

Therefore, the camera(13) is placed in a minimum distance from the object by the camera protecting cap(14) to scan the subject clearly.

Referring to FIG. 3, a cutting knife(15) is mounted to surround the front-end of the metal cannula(16) at the front-end of the metal cannula(16) to be slidable forwardly and backwardly and the blade of the knife is formed in the diagonal direction at the inner surface of the front-end of the cutting knife(15) to punch the abdominal cavity wall(32).

Slide groove(35) is formed at the metal cannula(16) and the back-end of the cutting knife(15) is thus possible to slide forwardly and backwardly along the slide groove(35).

While the cutting knife(15) isfixed forwardly to the front side of the camera protecting cap(14), the metal cannula(16) is inserted through the vaginal portion(30) of the animal(28)to punch the abdominal cavity wall(32). After forming a hole at the abdominal cavity wall(32), the cutting knife(15) is fixed backwardly to the back side of the camera protecting cap(14) to secure sight of the camera(13) which can thus scan the ovary(33) in the abdominal cavity wall.

Here, a forward/backward tube is mounted to the metal cannula(16) to move the cutting knife(15) backwardly to the back side of the camera protecting cap(14) when the metal cannula(16) is inserted into the vaginal portion(30) of the animal(28).

The forward/backward tube is exposed to the outside of the vaginal portion(30)of the animal(28) while the metal cannula(16) is inserted into the vaginal portion(30) of the animal(28) and connected with the cutting knife(15) by a coupling rod. The cutting knife(15)can be moved forwardly and backwardly by operating the forward/backward tube forwardly and backwardly from outside of the vaginal portion(30) of the animal(28).

A ovum collecting tube(19) is mounted integrally at the bottom part of the metal cannula(16), a catheter for transporting ovum(20) is mounted in the ovum collecting tube(19), a needle for collecting ovum(21) is mounted on the front-end of the catheter for transporting ovum(20) and a tightening part(18) is mounted at the back-end of the catheter for transporting ovum(20).

A guiding tube for catheter insertion(17) is mounted at the handle(12) under the camera main body(10), and the needle for collecting ovum(21) and the catheter for transporting ovum(20) are inserted into the ovum collecting tube(19) through the guiding tube for catheter insertion(17). An operator moves the catheter for transporting ovum(20) inserted through the guiding tube for catheter insertion(17) forwardly and backwardly to control the needle(21) to lead-out or lead-in at the front-end of the ovum collecting tube(19).

A tightening part(18) can be removable from the guiding tube for catheter insertion(17) and secure the catheter for transporting ovum(20).

When the needle for collecting ovum(21) is leaded in to ovum collecting tube(19), the tightening part(18) is pulled back to move the needle for collecting ovum(21) and the catheter for transporting ovum(20) backwardly. When the needle for collecting ovum(21) is leaded out from ovum collecting tube(19), the tightening part(18) is fitted into the guiding tube for catheter insertion(17) to move the needle for collecting ovum(21) and the catheter for transporting ovum(20) forwardly.

A first suction hose(22) is connected to the back-end of the catheter for transporting ovum(20) by the tightening part(18) and the other end of the tightening part(18) penetrates a stopper(25) to be inserted inside the testing tube for ovum pick up(24).

Here, wheninternal diameter of the catheter for transporting ovum(20) is smaller than that of an animal ovum(200~400㎛), it is apparent that the internal diameter of the catheter for transporting ovum(20) be adjusted to 400㎛ or higher since it is difficult to transport eggs through a vacuum pump(26).

The stopper(25) is mounted on the front part of the testing tube(24) to prevent air from entering into the testing tube(24). The testing tube for ovum pick up(24) stores the ovumand follicular fluid suctionedin through the first suction hose(22).

A second suction hose(23) is connected in the testing tube(24). One end of the second suction hose(23) penetrates the stopper(25) to be inserted into the testing tube(24). The other end of the second suction hose(23) is connected to the vacuum pump(26). As the vacuum pump(26) operates, inside the testing tube(24) becomes a vacuum state by suctioning air out in the testing tube(24) through the second suction hose(23).

Here, the testing tube(24), the first and the second suction hose(22,23), the vacuum pump(26) can be detachable from the handle(12) and mountable to a separate housing(27), so that they can be easy to carry.

A method for using the apparatus for animal ovum pick-upof the present invention will be described in detail hereinafter.

FIG. 4 is a view illustrating real collection of ovum of an animal using the apparatus of FIG. 1.

After an operator inserts a hand through a rectum(29) of an animal(28) to hold a uterus(31), he/she inserts a metal cannula(16) through a vaginal portion(30) of the animal(28)by holding a handle(12) of an apparatus in order to collect ova from the animal(28)such as horse or cow.

Here, a camera(13) mounted in the front-end of the metal cannula(16) scans vaginal portion(30) and uterine cervix, etc. of the animal(28) according to the movement of the metal cannula(16). The camera main bodyprocesses videos taken by the camera(13) to electric video signals and the display part(11) displays vaginal portion(30) and uterine cervix, etc. of the animal(28) visually to theoperator by receiving the video signals from the camera main body.

The operator can thus control the metal cannula(16) while checking the position of the metal cannula(16) inserted inside the vaginal portion(30) of the animal(28) through the display part(11). When the metal cannula(16) reaches the abdominal cavity wall(32) of the animal(28), the cutting knife(15) projected at the front-end of the metal cannula(16)makes a circular hole in the abdominal cavity wall(32) and the front-endof the metal cannula(16) is inserted into the abdominal cavity wall(32) to let the image pickup part(13) be close to the ovary(33).

The ovary(33) and ova in the abdominal cavity wall(32) of the animal(28) can be observed through the display part(11) which displays the images taken by the image pickup part(13) and ovum and follicular fluid can be suctioned through the needle(21) which is led out and guided to near the ovum.

Here, the air inside the testing tube(24) are suctioned through a second suction hose(23) by operating a vacuum pump(26) to be vacuum. The ovum and follicular fluid can be suctioned through the needle(21) due to the internal pressure difference between the testing tube(24) and the abdominal cavity. The suctionedfollicles(34) and follicular fluid is then transported to the testing tube(24) through first the catheter for transporting ovum(20) and then the first suction hose(22).

10: monitor main body 11 : display part

12: handle 13: camera

14: camera protecting cap 15: cutting knife

16: metal cannula 17: guiding tube for catheter insertion

18: tightening part 19: ovum collecting tube

20: catheter for transporting ovum 21: needle

22: first suction hose 23: second suction hose

24: testing tube 25: stopper

26: vacuum pump 27: housing

28: animal 29: rectum

30: vaginal portion 31: uterus

32: abdominal cavity wall 33: ovary

34: egg follicle 35: slide groove

Claims

An apparatus for animal ovum pick-up comprising:

a handle(12) including a metal cannula(16) equipped with a camera(13) at the front-end;

a camera main body(10) mounted on the top end of the handle(12) and processing videos taken by the camera(13) to electric video signals;

a display part(11) mounted on the back side of the camera main body(10) and presenting inside the abdominal cavity of an animal(28) visually to an operator by receiving a video signal from the camera main body(10);

a needle(21) mounted on the bottom part of the metal cannula(16) and taking ovum and follicular fluid in the abdominal cavity of the animal(28);

a catheter for transporting ovum(20) connected to the needle(21) and transporting ovum and follicular fluid through the needle(21);

a testing tube(24) connected to the catheter for transporting ovum(20) and storing the ovum and follicular fluid transported through the catheter for transporting ovum(20); and

a vacuum pump(26) connected to the testing tube(24) and suctioning air in the testing tube(24)to inflow the ovum and follicular fluid into the testing tube(24) due to vacuum pressure inside the testing tube(24).
The apparatus for animal ovum pick-up of claim 1, wherein a cutting knife(15) is equipped at the front-end of the metal cannula(16) with a slide to punch the abdominal cavity wall(32) of the animal(28).
A method for animal ovum pick-up comprising:

inserting a metal cannula(16) equipped with an image pickup part(13) at the front-end thereof through a vaginal portion(30) of an animal(28) after powering on a camera main body attached to the upper end of a handle(12);

punching the abdominal cavity wall(32) of the animal(28) using a cutting knife(15) projected on the front-end of the metal cannula(16);

observing videos of inside the abdominal cavity wall(32) of the animal(28), taken by the image pickup part(13) mounted on the metal cannula(16), with a display part(11) mounted on the back side of the camera main body(10); and

suctioning ovum and follicular fluid with vacuum pressure by operating a vacuum pump(26) to transfer the ovum and follicular fluid to a testing tube(24) through the needle(21) after confirming the ovum and follicular fluid located inside the abdominal cavity wall(32) of the animal(28).