Improved shunt for unborn babies with bladder blockage
Official title: Developing a novel vesico-amniotic shunt to treat fetal lower urinary tract obstruction
Funded at Vortex Medical INC. · NIH-11248666 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Using a new tiny shunt designed to help unborn babies with lower urinary tract blockage keep their lungs and kidneys healthier before birth.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 2 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Vortex Medical INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Woodside, United States) |
| Project start | July 25, 2024 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $804,215 |
| NIH project number | 4R44DK141388-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11248666 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Pregnant people carrying a fetus diagnosed with severe lower urinary tract obstruction in the second or third trimester who are being considered for fetal shunting would be the primary candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People with mild or resolving obstructions, major additional fetal anomalies that rule out fetal surgery, or pregnancies outside the eligible gestational window may not benefit from this device.
What this research studies
This project is building a new vesicoamniotic shunt to create a safe bypass for urine when a fetus has a blocked bladder, helping restore amniotic fluid and support lung development. The shunt design adds stronger anchors to stay in place, materials that show up better on ultrasound to guide placement, and a reinforced channel that resists kinking and can grow with the fetus. The team has made prototypes and tested them in lab bench tests and a pilot fetal sheep study and is advancing development toward use in clinical care.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the shunt could lower the chance it falls out, reduce repeat fetal surgeries, and improve survival and organ outcomes for babies with severe LUTO.
How similar studies have gone: Vesicoamniotic shunting is an established fetal treatment that can help some babies with LUTO, but existing shunts often dislodge and this novel design has so far shown promise only in bench and animal (fetal sheep) tests.
Where this research is happening
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Vortex Medical INC.
Woodside, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Johnson, Eric — Vortex Medical INC.
- Study coordinator: Johnson, Eric
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Vesico-amniotic shunt for fetal bladder obstruction
A new fetal device is being developed to bypass bladder blockage in pregnancies affected by severe urinary tract obstruction.
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Creating a new device to help treat fetal urinary tract blockages
This study is testing a new device to help babies with a serious condition called lower urinary tract obstruction, which can cause health problems before birth, by making it easier for doctors to perform surgery and improve the chances of a successful treatment.
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.