Larry Barmat, M.D., Joins Small Group of Physicians Trained in Robotic Surgery
Abington’s own Larry Barmat, M.D., is now one of only a handful of reproductive surgeons in the tri-state area able to perform robotic surgery. To master this state-of-the-art technology, Dr. Barmat completed an intensive da Vinci robotic surgery training course at the University of Michigan.
With conventional reproductive surgery, patients typically endure large abdominal incisions, four- to five-day inpatient hospital stays and four to six weeks of post-operative recuperation. The da Vinci system—currently the world’s most technologically advanced surgical robotic system—allows surgeons to operate with extreme precision and accuracy, resulting in smaller patient incisions and much faster recovery times (typically a few days). What’s more, patients can usually receive this type of surgery on an outpatient basis.
Dr. Barmat has used this revolutionary technology to perform myomectomies (removal of fibroids) and tubal ligation reversals.
Recently, Dr. Barmat was appointed to the Robotic Surgery Committee at Abington Memorial Hospital, where he is also director of laparoscopic and robotic surgery in the department of obstetrics and gynecology. He is actively involved in the hospital’s laparoscopic and robotic surgery resident training program as well.
Abington Reproductive Medicine Celebrates Fifth Year of PGD
Five years ago, Abington Reproductive Medicine became the first fertility center in the Philadelphia area to offer Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD), a state-of-the-art fertility procedure for couples who are at risk for passing on an inherited genetic disorder to their offspring. For these couples, PGD offers a way to test their embryos for genetic disorders before transferring them to the uterus. To date, Abington Reproductive Medicine has performed the low-risk procedure on hundreds of patients. We are currently the only fertility center in Pennsylvania to offer PGD onsite.
To perform PGD, an embryo created through in vitro fertilization (IVF) is held in place with a pipette. A biopsy pipette is then inserted into the embryo, and gentle suction is used to dislodge one or two blastomeres, or single cells. The genetic material in the blastomere(s) undergoes a DNA analysis, and the unaffected embryos are placed in the patient’s uterus. Our PGD team can screen for over 100 genetic disorders, including cystic fibrosis, muscular dystrophy, fragile-X syndrome, sickle cell anemia, hemophilia A and B, Tay-Sachs disease, polycystic kidney disease and Marfan syndrome. An on-staff genetic counselor offers education and support, coordinates testing and provides follow-up counseling once patients receive their results.
PGD can also be used to help prevent abnormal pregnancies and spontaneous abortions and improve implantation and pregnancy rates in poor-prognosis IVF patients.
For more information about PGD testing, please call our office at 215-887-2010.
Abington Hires Full-Time Genetic Counselor
Due in large part to the growing interest in and availability of genetic testing, Abington Reproductive Medicine recently hired a full-time genetic counselor, Rosanne B. Keep, to meet with all IVF patients prior to their first cycle. For patients with a family history of a genetic disorder, Rosanne provides education and support, coordinates testing and offers follow-up counseling once patients receive their results.
Rosanne B. Keep, MS, Certified Genetic Counselor
Prior to joining Abington Reproductive Medicine, Rosanne worked for 6 years as a genetic counselor at Albert Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia. She holds a master's degree in genetic counseling from Arcadia University and a bachelor's degree in biology from Muhlenberg College. Rosanne has been practicing genetic counseling since 2000.
Participants Needed for Study Testing Accuracy of Ovulation Prediction Device
Abington Reproductive Medicine is seeking approximately 170 participants for a clinical study to test the accuracy of the Biometer, an FDA-approved device that predicts ovulation.
Manufactured by Biosense, the Biometer is a small device resembling a digital thermometer that can be used to increase the chance of conception or as a more accurate method of natural family planning. To use the Biometer, individuals insert the device into their vagina. In five seconds, the Biometer gives a digital readout indicating the user’s anticipated date of ovulation, or if the user is currently ovulating.
Study participants will be required to use the Biometer to obtain daily ovulation readings for 90 consecutive days (approximately three menstrual cycles). The study will also involve some laboratory and ultrasound monitoring, and participants will be asked to record their experiences in a diary.
The results of the study are expected to play a significant role in helping couples struggling with infertility achieve pregnancy. Individuals who prefer natural family planning will benefit as well.
All participants will receive $250 upon completion of the study. To register or for more information, please call 215-887-2010.
New Chromosomes for Detection Added to PGD Panel
Abington Reproductive Medicine recently added chromosomes 15 and 17 to our list of Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD) screening capabilities.
Since 2002, Abington Reproductive Medicine has been offering PGD to In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) patients as a way to test their embryos for genetic disorders before transferring them into the uterus. While the procedure is particularly useful for patients with serious, inherited genetic disorders who wish to avoid passing the disorders onto their child, it also can be used to prevent abnormal pregnancies and offer explanations for recurrent miscarriages or implantation failures.
The chromosomes we currently are able to screen for are listed below, along with some of the diseases associated with missing or extra sets of these chromosomes:
Chromosome 13: Wilson disease, breast and ovarian cancer, deafness
Chromosome 15: Tay-Sachs disease, Marfan syndrome
Chromosome 16: Polycysic kidney disease, alpha thalassemia
Chromosome 17: Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease, breast and ovarian cancer
Chromosome 18: Niemann–Pick disease, pancreatic cancer
Chromosome 21: Down’s syndrome, autoimmune polyglandular syndrome, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Chromosome 22: DiGeorge syndrome, chronic myeloid leukemia
Chromosome X: Duchenne muscular dystrophy, Fragile-X syndrome, Turner’s syndrome
Chromosome Y: Acute myeloid leukemia
We also are able to screen for translocations, which occur when two pieces of nonmatching chromosomes are stuck together. Sperm or eggs from individuals with a translocation can cause the resulting embryo to have an unbalanced amount of genetic material, leading to embryo death, miscarriage, spontaneous abortion or the birth of an infant with substantial medical problems.
As Abington Reproductive Medicine continues to make tremendous strides in our PGD capabilities, we will keep you updated via our web site as well as future issues of our semi-annual newsletter, Reproductive Medicine Matters. For more information about PGD testing, please call our Abington, Pennsylvania office at 215-887-2010.
Yearlong Study to Explore IVF vs. Autologous Endometrial Coculture
Drs. Barmat,Schinfeld and Somkuti will jointly embark on a year long study comparing the embryo development and pregnancy rates of women who complete a standard In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) cycle and women who undergo a combination of IVF and Autologous Endometrial Coculture. Co-developed by Dr. Barmat while at Cornell University, Coculture involves placing a patient’s fertilized eggs on top of a layer of cells from her own uterine lining, creating a more natural environment for embryo development
Approximately 175 women, all of whom have been diagnosed with infertility and require IVF to enhance their conception possibilities, will participate in the study. The women will be randomly assigned their treatment protocol (IVF or IVF with Coculture) via a randomization table.
Since Coculture has been safely performed in over 1,000 women with no reported detrimental side effects, the study carries few, if any, risks for participants. Look for study updates in this section of our Web site and in future issues of Reproductive Medicine Matters.
Dr. Barmat Develops High-Tech Embryo Transfer Tool
Abington Reproductive Medicine is pleased to announce that our very own Larry I. Barmat, M.D., has developed an echotip catheter to facilitate embryo transfer during IVF.
Dr. Barmat began working on the project after being asked by Sepal Reproductive Devices to design a new generation echogenic embryo transfer catheter. Working with engineers in France, he developed the “Barmat Ultraview Catheter,” a state-of-the-art tool that allows physicians to transfer embryos into the uterus via an echogenic tip and subsequently enjoy much clearer visibility during actual embryo placement.
Already the Barmat Ultraview Catheter is being hailed as a significant advance in patient comfort and a promising tool for increased pregnancy rates. Clinical trials are currently underway to measure the catheter’s precise benefits.
Toll Center Celebrates 1,000 Babies Born Through IVF
In 1997, the Abington IVF and Genetics, Toll Center for Reproductive Sciences celebrated the 500th baby born there through In Vitro Fertilization (IVF). Six years and over 500 IVF babies later, the center felt another landmark celebration was in order.
On May 31, 2003, close to 500 people—including physicians and their families, along with former patients and their children—gathered at the Abington Memorial Health Center-Schilling Campus for an “IVF Reunion,” featuring entertainment and plenty of kid-friendly refreshments. Dr. Somkuti, Medical director, held the keynote address tracing the history of the Toll Center and what exciting projects the future holds. Channel 6 News noted that physicians like Jay Schinfeld, M.D., had the chance to reunite with those who had once thought having a baby would be next to impossible. “The last time I saw many of these children was around the moment at which they were conceived, when they were no bigger than a peanut,” explains Dr. Schinfeld. “Now, years later, to see how healthy, happy and grown-up they are…it’s really gratifying. And the parents are elated…any sadness or discouragement they felt at the beginning has been replaced by this incredible joy and pride,” he says.
In 2006, the number has now reached over 1600 babies born through IVF.
French Physician Visits Abington Reproductive Medicine for Coculture Demonstration
Pierre Boyer, M.D., IVF lab director at St Josephs Hospital, a large medical center located in Marseilles, France, recently spent two days visiting Abington Reproductive Medicine and The Toll Center for Reproductive Sciences at Abington Memorial Hospital. The primary purpose of his visit was to learn more about our Autologous Endometrial Coculture technique.
For the past ten years, Dr. Boyer has been performing animal cell coculture in France with great success. Due to growing worldwide concern about exposing human embryos to non-human cells, however, Dr. Boyer has expressed interest in Autologous Endometrial Coculture—a unique method of growing embryos on the mother’s own uterine cells. After reading more about the pioneering technique, which was co-developed by Larry Barmat, M.D., while at Cornell University, Dr. Boyer contacted us to arrange a visit.
On July 28, 2003, Dr. Boyer arrived for a tour of our facility and a Coculture demonstration. Later, Dr. Boyer gave an open presentation concerning the current fertility environment in France. Attendees learned that in France, in vitro fertilization (IVF) costs for married couples under 42 years of age are covered by the government, no more than three embryos are transferred during an IVF cycle, donor egg procedures are prohibited and only a small amount of French fertility centers are permitted by law to perform Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis.
