Device for checking seeds in brachytherapy needle

• US 20030036673A1
• Filed: 08/17/2001
• Published: 02/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bruno J. Schmidt
• Original Assignee: Bruno J. Schmidt
• Inventors: Schmidt, Bruno J.
• Granted Patent: US 6,656,106 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/8
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 37/0069 Devices for implanting pellets, e.g. markers or solid medicaments for introducing of radioactive sources for interstitial radiation therapy, i.e. brachytherapy A61N5/1027
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/1011 Apparatus for permanent insertion of sources
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1027 Interstitial radiation therapy

Abstract

An apparatus and method for visually verifying the quantity of seeds and spacers in a brachythereapy needle. In a first embodiment, the needle is pointed upwardly and seeds and spacers slide from a lumen of the needle, under the influence of gravity, into the lumen of a clear tube that is positioned in axial alignment with the lumen of the needle by a hub. In a second embodiment, the needle is received within the lumen of the clear tube and a stylet is used to push a string of bone wax, seeds, and spacers from the lumen of the needle into the lumen of the clear tube for visual verification. A plunger rod is introduced into the proximal end of the clear tube to push the string back into the needle and the clear tube and plunger are removed to enable use of the needle. In both embodiments, the plunger rod is fully inserted into the clear tube during shipment to prevent unwanted displacement of the seeds and spacers from the needle.

Claims

1. An assembly that enables the counting of the seeds and spacers in a brachytherapy needle, comprising:

a needle having a sharp distal end and a lumen adapted to slidingly receive therein a plurality of radioactive seeds and spacers;

an adapter means of hollow construction secured to a proximal end of said needle;

a tube having a distal end received within a hollow interior of said adapter means;

a hub means for aligning a lumen of said tube with the lumen of said needle;

a plunger rod adapted to be slideably received within said tube;

said tube formed of a material that is sufficiently translucent to enable visual inspection of said lumen of said tube;

said lumen of said tube having substantially the same diameter as the lumen of said needle so that when said assembly is positioned with the distal end of said needle pointing upwardly, the seeds and spacers within said lumen of said needle slide under the influence of gravity into the lumen of said tube so that the number of said seeds and spacers may be visually ascertained.

2. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

said hub means secured to a proximal end of said adapter means;

an outer part of said hub engaging an exterior surface of said adapter means;

an inner part of said hub received within a hollow interior of said adapter means;

said inner part of said hub adapted to slidingly receive said tube so that a distal end of said tube abuts said hollow interior of said adapter means;

whereby said hub means aligns said lumen of said tube with the lumen of said needle.

3. The assembly of claim 2, further comprising an adhesive means for securing a distal end of said tube to said hollow interior of said adapter means.

4. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

a handle means mounted to a proximal end of said tube;

said handle means having a boss means integrally formed therein;

a first axial bore formed in said handle means;

a second axial bore formed in said boss means, said second axial bore having a larger diameter than said first axial bore and said second axial bore adapted to receive the proximal end of said tube.

5. The assembly of claim 4, further comprising:

said first axial bore adapted to slideably receive said plunger rod;

said plunger rod having an outer diameter slightly less than a diameter of said lumen of said tube;

a handle formed at a proximal end of said plunger rod;

whereby manipulation of said plunger rod handle means enables insertion and retraction of said plunger rod into and out of the lumen of said tube, respectively.

6. The assembly of claim 5, wherein a distal end of said plunger rod is adapted so that said distal end of said plunger rod is not fully retractable from said tube.

7. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said tube is formed of a clear plastic.

14. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said tube is formed of a clear plastic.

8. A method of checking and verifying the number of seeds and spacers in a brachytherapy needle, comprising the steps of:

mounting an adapter means of hollow construction to a proximal end of a needle;

inserting a distal end of a clear tube into a proximal end of said adapter means;

dimensioning the lumen of the needle and the lumen of the clear tube so that said lumens share a common diameter;

aligning the lumen of the clear tube with the lumen of the needle;

inserting a plunger rod into a proximal end of said clear tube;

dimensioning said plunger rod so that no seeds and spacers can enter into the lumen of said clear tube from the lumen of said needle when said plunger rod is fully received within the lumen of said clear tube;

substantially withdrawing the plunger from the clear tube and pointing the distal end of the needle upwardly so that seeds and spacers in the lumen of said needle slide therefrom under the influence of gravity into the lumen of said clear tube so that the quantity of said seeds and spacers is visually ascertainable.

9. An assembly that enables visual verification of bone wax, seeds, and spacers in a brachytherapy needle, comprising:

a needle having a sharp distal end and a lumen adapted to slidingly receive therein bone wax and a plurality of radioactive seeds and spacers;

an adapter means of hollow construction secured to a proximal end of said needle;

a stylet adapted to be slidingly introduced into a proximal end of said adapter means and hence into a proximal end of said needle;

a tube having a lumen of sufficient diameter to slidingly receive therewithin said needle;

an elongate plunger rod adapted to be slideably introduced into said lumen of said tube from a proximal end thereof; and

said tube formed of a material that is sufficiently translucent to enable visual inspection of items positioned with said lumen of said tube.

10. The assembly of claim 9, further comprising:

a handle means mounted to a proximal end of said tube;

said handle means having a boss means integrally formed therein;

a first axial bore formed in said handle means;

a second axial bore formed in said boss means, said second axial bore having a larger diameter than said first axial bore and said second axial bore adapted to receive the proximal end of said tube.

11. The assembly of claim 10, further comprising:

said first axial bore adapted to slideably receive said plunger rod;

said plunger rod having an outer diameter slightly less than a diameter of said lumen of said tube;

whereby manipulation of said plunger rod enables insertion and retraction of said plunger rod into and out of the lumen of said tube, respectively.

12. The assembly of claim 11, wherein a distal end of said plunger rod is adapted so that said distal end of said plunger rod is not fully retractable from said tube.

13. The assembly of claim 12, further comprising:

a plunger rod handle means secured to a proximal end of said plunger rod to facilitate said insertion and retraction of said plunger rod.

15. A method of checking and verifying the number of seeds and spacers in a brachytherapy needle, comprising the steps of:

mounting an adapter means of hollow construction to a proximal end of a needle;

providing a clear tube having a lumen of sufficient diameter to slideably receive said needle;

providing a plunger rod having an external diameter less than the diameter of said lumen of said clear tube and introducing said plunger rod into said lumen of said clear tube;

dimensioning said plunger rod so that no seeds and spacers can enter into the lumen of said clear tube from the lumen of said needle when said plunger rod is fully received within the lumen of said clear tube;

substantially withdrawing the plunger from the clear tube and pointing the distal end of the needle downwardly so that seeds and spacers in the lumen of said needle slide therefrom under the influence of gravity into the lumen of said clear tube so that the quantity of said seeds and spacers is visually ascertainable.

16. A method of checking and verifying the number of seeds and spacers in a brachytherapy needle, comprising the steps of:

mounting an adapter means of hollow construction to a proximal end of a needle;

providing a clear tube having a lumen of sufficient diameter to slideably receive said needle;

providing a plunger rod having an external diameter less than the diameter of said lumen of said clear tube, said plunger rod being adapted for sliding introduction into said lumen of said clear tube;

dimensioning said plunger rod so that no seeds and spacers can enter into the lumen of said clear tube from the lumen of said needle when said plunger rod is fully received within the lumen of said clear tube;

substantially withdrawing the plunger rod from the clear tube;

introducing a stylet into a proximal end of said needle and pushing a string of bone wax, seeds and spacers out of the lumen of said needle and into the lumen of said clear tube so that said bone wax, seeds, and spacers may be visually verified;

pushing said string of bone wax, seeds and spacers out of said clear tube and into said lumen of said elongate needle by introducing said plunger rod into a proximal end of said clear tube; and

removing said clear tube and plunger rod so that said needle is usable in a brachytherapy procedure.