Delivery system and method for interstitial radiation therapy using strands constructed with extruded strand housings

• US 20030084988A1
• Filed: 06/04/2002
• Published: 05/08/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Theragenics Corporation (Juniper Investment Co. LLC)
• Original Assignee: Worldwide Medical Technologies, LLC
• Inventors: Terwilliger, Richard A., Lamoureux, Gary A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,074,291 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 156/244.12
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/1023 Means for creating a row of seeds, e.g. spacers
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1027 Interstitial radiation therapy
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/09 Articles with cross-sections having partially or fully enclosed cavities, e.g. pipes or channels
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/151 Coating hollow articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/157 Coating linked inserts, e.g. chains
• CPC Class Codes: G21G 4/08 specially adapted for medical application radiation therapy using radioactive sources A61N5/10

Abstract

A delivery system and method for interstitial radiation therapy comprising substantially axially stiff and longitudinally flexible elongated members made of material which is bioabsorbable in living tissue and a plurality of radioactive seeds dispersed in a predetermined array within the elongate member. The radioactive seeds can be dispersed within assembled half-shells made of the same material. The housing for the radiation seeds can also be manufactured from extruded material. A system for manufacturing the interstitial radiation therapy seed strands that automatically makes the seed strands at the patient'"'"'s bedside. The delivery system and method further customize the member based on a prescription.

Claims

1. A system for making interstitial radiation therapy seed strands comprising:

a means for extruding an elongate hollow member with a bore; and

a means for inserting radioactive seed elements into the bore of the extruded elongate hollow member.

2. The system set forth in claim 1 wherein said means for inserting is adapted to vary the spacing between the radioactive seed elements.

3. A system for making interstitial radiation therapy seed strands comprising:

a mandrel;

a die;

a pusher adapted to urge seed housing forming material over the mandrel and through the die;

a seed pusher;

wherein the die and the mandrel extrude said material into an elongate member with a bore and said seed pusher inserts radioactive seed elements into the bore.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein said loading includes variable spacing between each of the radioactive seed elements.

9. The method of claim 3 wherein said material is biocompatable and bioabsorbable.

11. The method of claim 3 wherein said material contains one of a drug and a hormone.

13. The method of claim 3 wherein said material is made to be echogenic.

4. A method for embedding radioactive seed elements in a material comprising:

extruding a hollow bore catheter from the material;

and loading said bore of said catheter with the radioactive seed elements.

7. The method of claim 4 wherein said inserting step includes placing the radioactive seeds at varying intervals within the bore.

10. The method of claim 4 wherein said material is biocompatable and bioabsorbable.

12. The method of claim 4 wherein said material contains one of a drug and a hormone.

6. A method for making an interstitial radiation therapy seed strand comprising:

extruding an elongate member with a bore from a material that is axially rigid and radially flexible when loaded with seeds;

and inserting radioactive seed elements into said bore.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein said elongate member with a bore is heated to fix said radioactive seed elements within the bore.

14. The method of clam 4 wherein said material is made to be echogenic.