Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40690119›Full record

ArticleAnnals of biomedical engineering2025

Usability of Speculum-Compatible Injection Devices for Administering Ethyl Cellulose-Ethanol Ablation to Treat Cervical Neoplasia in Low- and Middle-Income Countries.

Taya Lee, Vené Richardson-Powell, Jason Chen, David Garvey, Venkata Sarojasamhita, Kevin Aroom, Martha O Wang, Brian Crouch, Nimmi Ramanujam, Julie Hurvitz and 1 more

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in Annals of biomedical engineering, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Taya LeeDepartment of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA.
Vené Richardson-PowellDepartment of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA.
Jason ChenDepartment of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA.
David GarveyDepartment of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA.
Venkata SarojasamhitaDepartment of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA.
Kevin AroomRobert E. Fishell Institute for Biomedical Devices, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA.
Martha O WangRobert E. Fishell Institute for Biomedical Devices, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA.
Brian CrouchDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
Nimmi RamanujamDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
Julie HurvitzDepartment of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Science, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Jenna MuellerDepartment of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA. mueller7@umd.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5198-8491

Funding

Optimizing ablation of cervical precancer with ethyl cellulose ethanol to enable translation to women in low and middle-income countriesR44CA257303 · NCI · CALLA HEALTH FOUNDATION · PI CROUCH, BRIAN · 2023 to 2024
$1.8M
NCI NIH HHS R44 CA257303NIH HHS R44CA257303
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeCurrent treatments for cervical neoplasia are often inaccessible in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), which contributes to high cervical cancer mortality. We previously developed a low-cost ablative therapy using ethanol mixed with ethyl cellulose (EC) to a form an ethanol-retaining gel that reduces injection leakage. To optimize delivery of EC-ethanol into the cervix, we developed and compared three speculum-compatible injectors that each address clinical challenges: 1) a single needle injector, which contained an adjustable depth stop to control the depth of injection, 2) a multi needle injector, which injected three locations in the cervix simultaneously, and 3) an extender injector, which included a needle extender.

methodsThe variability in EC-ethanol injections was evaluated through bench top and ex vivo swine testing. Usability testing was performed by gynecology (GYN) providers who used each device in a custom pelvic model.

resultsBoth the extender and single needle devices led to consistent ejection volumes in benchtop tests with no variability between injections. All devices achieved spherical depots with minimal leakage in ex vivo tests. In usability testing, 65% of GYN providers preferred the extender device, which achieved significantly shorter injection times in the custom pelvic model compared to other injectors.

conclusionWhile all devices met clinical constraints, the extender device was preferred by clinicians and achieved repeatable injection distributions. This work presents a clinically informed low-cost intracervical delivery method for LMICs. Future work will include validating performance in clinical trials and assessing feasibility in clinical settings to advance global cervical neoplasia treatment.

Indexed as

Ablation TechniquesCelluloseEthanolUterine Cervical NeoplasmsAnimalsDeveloping CountriesFemaleHumansInjectionsSwineCelluloseEthanolethyl celluloseCervical neoplasiaCervixDevice usabilityEthanol ablationInjection device

Identifiers

PMID40690119
PMCPMC12457505

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.