A safer, faster, and more affordable way to remove large uteri during minimally invasive surgery
Official title: A Safe, Fast, and Cost-Effective System for Tissue Removal in Laparoscopic Hysterectomy and Other Minimally Invasive Surgery
Funded at Claria Medical, INC. · NIH-11256396 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new surgical device to help surgeons remove large uteri quickly and safely during minimally invasive hysterectomy and similar operations, reducing the chance of spreading hidden cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 2 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Claria Medical, INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Mountain View, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | September 1, 2022 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $2,138,797 |
| NIH project number | 2R44HD105575-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11256396 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Women who need hysterectomy or uterine surgery for fibroids or an enlarged uterus and are candidates for laparoscopic or other minimally invasive procedures would be the ideal participants.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with known uterine cancer, those already planned for open abdominal surgery, or those who are not candidates for laparoscopy are unlikely to benefit from this device.
What this research studies
This grant supports development of the Claria System, a device meant to remove large uterine tissue through small incisions while containing any loose cells. It aims to replace risky power morcellation and slow, breach-prone contained manual morcellation with a faster, more reliable containment method. The team plans engineering refinements and eventual testing in surgical centers so surgeons can remove large uteri without converting to open surgery. If adopted, it could be used for hysterectomy, myomectomy and other abdominal procedures that currently sometimes require larger incisions.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could let more women have minimally invasive uterine surgery with lower risk of spreading occult cancer and shorter recovery than open surgery.
How similar studies have gone: Prior methods either increased cancer-spread risk (power morcellation) or were slow and prone to container breaches (contained manual morcellation), so this device is a novel approach with limited clinical evidence so far.
Where this research is happening
-
Claria Medical, INC.
Mountain View, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Francis, Daniel — Claria Medical, INC.
- Study coordinator: Francis, Daniel
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Prognostic tools to guide adjuvant therapy for Black women after hysterectomy for endometrial cancer
A new project aims to create and validate easy-to-use tools that help doctors tailor post-surgery treatment for Black women with endometrial cancer.
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A safe, fast, and lower-cost way to remove large uterus tissue during minimally invasive hysterectomy
A new device called the Claria System aims to remove large uteruses quickly and safely during minimally invasive hysterectomy and other surgeries, while reducing costs.
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A safer, faster tissue removal system for laparoscopic hysterectomy
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A new method for closing surgical wounds after laparoscopic hysterectomy
This study is testing a new way to close wounds after laparoscopic hysterectomy using a special system called Zip-stitch, which uses dissolvable clips to help you heal better and recover faster, with input from surgeons to make it even better for future use.
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Creating tools to predict outcomes for Black women with endometrial cancer after surgery
This study is working to create helpful tools for doctors to better understand and treat Black women with endometrial cancer after surgery, aiming to improve their care and outcomes by considering their unique needs and risks.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.