IMPLANTS FOR USE IN BRACHYTHERAPY AND OTHER RADIATION THERAPY THAT RESIST MIGRATION AND ROTATION

• US 20090099402A1
• Filed: 12/15/2008
• Published: 04/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Theragenics Corporation (Juniper Investment Co. LLC)
• Original Assignee: Biocompatibles UK Limited (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Lamoureux, Gary A., Matons, James, Rice, Warren, Johnston, Warren, Bouffard, Matthew
• Granted Patent: US 8,114,007 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/8
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/1023 Means for creating a row of seeds, e.g. spacers
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/1024 Seeds
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1027 Interstitial radiation therapy

Abstract

In an embodiment a therapeutic member includes a solitary radioactive seed. The seed includes a metallic housing with radioactive material contained within the metallic housing. The metallic housing has a first longitudinal end and a second longitudinal end and a longitudinal length between the first and second longitudinal ends. A polymeric material is molded to completely and monolithically encapsulate the metallic housing of the solitary radioactive seed. The implantable therapeutic member is adapted to be implanted into patient tissue using a hollow needle. A portion of the molded polymeric material extends from one of the first and second longitudinal ends of the metallic housing to reduce a tendency of the seed to migrate and rotate within a patient'"'"'s body after implantation of the member. The portion of the molded polymeric material, that extends from one of the first and second longitudinal ends of the metallic housing, causes the implantable therapeutic member to have a longitudinal length that is greater than the longitudinal length of the metallic housing.

Claims

1. An implantable therapeutic member for use in brachytherapy, comprising:

a solitary radioactive seed including a metallic housing with radioactive material contained within the metallic housing; and

a polymeric material molded to completely encapsulate the housing of the solitary radioactive seed;

wherein the implantable therapeutic member is adapted to be implanted into patient tissue using a hollow needle; and

wherein a portion of the molded polymeric material extends in a longitudinal direction with respect to the solitary radioactive seed to reduce a tendency of the seed to migrate and rotate within a patient'"'"'s body after implantation of the member.

2. The implantable therapeutic member of claim 1, wherein:

the solitary radioactive seed has a first length; and

the polymeric material molded to completely encapsulate the housing of the solitary radioactive seed causes the implantable therapeutic member to have a second length that is greater than the first length.

3. The implantable therapeutic member of claim 2, wherein:

the solitary radioactive seed has a first longitudinal end and a second longitudinal end; and

the portion of the molded polymeric material extends from one of the first and second longitudinal ends of the solitary radioactive seed.

4. The implantable therapeutic member of claim 3, wherein:

the portion of the molded polymeric material, which extends from one of the first and second longitudinal ends of the solitary radioactive seed, comprises a tail portion.

5. The implantable therapeutic member of claim 3, wherein a further portion of the molded polymeric material extends from the other one of the first and second longitudinal ends of the solitary radioactive seed.

6. The implantable therapeutic member of claim 2, wherein the portion of the molded polymeric material, that extends in the longitudinal direction with respect to the solitary radioactive seed, has an outer surface that is generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the seed.

7. The implantable therapeutic member of claim 2, wherein the portion of the molded polymeric material, that extends in the longitudinal direction with respect to the solitary radioactive seed, includes a void or groove that at least some patient tissue will occupy after implantation of the therapeutic member.

23. The implantable therapeutic member of claim 1, wherein the polymeric material is bio-adhesive.

24. The implantable therapeutic member of claim 1, wherein the polymeric material is bio-adherent.

8. An implantable therapeutic member for use in brachytherapy, comprising:

a solitary radioactive seed including a metallic housing with radioactive material contained within the metallic housing, the metallic housing having a first longitudinal end and a second longitudinal end and a longitudinal length between the first and second longitudinal ends; and

a polymeric material molded to completely encapsulate the metallic housing of the solitary radioactive seed;

wherein the implantable therapeutic member is adapted to be implanted into patient tissue using a hollow needle;

wherein a portion of the molded polymeric material extends from one of the first and second longitudinal ends of the metallic housing to reduce a tendency of the seed to migrate and rotate within a patient'"'"'s body after implantation of the member; and

wherein the portion of the molded polymeric material, that extends from one of the first and second longitudinal ends of the metallic housing, causes the implantable therapeutic member to have a longitudinal length that is greater than the longitudinal length of the metallic housing.

9. The implantable therapeutic member of claim 8, wherein the portion of the molded polymeric material, which extends from one of the first and second longitudinal ends of the metallic housing, comprises a tail portion.

10. The implantable therapeutic member of claim 8, wherein the portion of the molded polymeric material, that extends from one of the first and second longitudinal ends of the metallic housing, has an outer surface that is generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the metallic housing.

11. The implantable therapeutic member of claim 8, wherein a further portion of the molded polymeric material extends from the other one of the first and second longitudinal ends of the metallic housing.

12. The implantable therapeutic member of claim 8, wherein the portion of the molded polymeric material, that extends from one of the first and second longitudinal ends of the metallic housing, includes a void or groove that at least some patient tissue will occupy after implantation of the therapeutic member.

25. The implantable therapeutic member of claim 8, wherein the polymeric material is bio-adhesive.

26. The implantable therapeutic member of claim 8, wherein the polymeric material is bio-adherent.

13. An implantable therapeutic member for use in brachytherapy, comprising:

a solitary radioactive seed including a housing with radioactive material contained within the metallic housing, the metallic housing having a first longitudinal end and a second longitudinal end and a longitudinal length between the first and second longitudinal ends; and

a polymeric material that completely and monolithically encapsulates the metallic housing of the solitary radioactive seed;

wherein the implantable therapeutic member is adapted to be implanted into patient tissue using a hollow needle;

wherein a portion of the polymeric material extends from one of the first and second longitudinal ends of the metallic housing to reduce a tendency of the seed to migrate and rotate within a patient'"'"'s body after implantation of the member; and

wherein the portion of the polymeric material, that extends from one of the first and second longitudinal ends of the metallic housing, causes the implantable therapeutic member to have a longitudinal length that is greater than the longitudinal length of the metallic housing.

14. The implantable therapeutic member of claim 13, wherein the portion of the molded polymeric material, which extends from one of the first and second longitudinal ends of the metallic housing, comprises a tail portion.

15. The implantable therapeutic member of claim 13, wherein the polymeric material that completely and monolithically encapsulates the metallic housing is molded around the metallic housing.

16. The implantable therapeutic member of claim 13, wherein the portion of the polymeric material, that extends from one of the first and second longitudinal ends of the metallic housing, has an outer surface that is generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the metallic housing.

17. The implantable therapeutic member of claim 13, wherein a further portion of the polymeric material extends from the other one of the first and second longitudinal ends of the metallic housing.

18. The implantable therapeutic member of claim 13, wherein the portion of the polymeric material, that extends from one of the first and second longitudinal ends of the metallic housing, includes a void or groove that at least some patient tissue will occupy after implantation of the therapeutic member.

27. The implantable therapeutic member of claim 13, wherein the polymeric material is bio-adhesive.

28. The implantable therapeutic member of claim 13, wherein the polymeric material is bio-adherent.

19. An implantable therapeutic member for use in brachytherapy, comprising:

a solitary radioactive seed including a metallic housing with radioactive material contained within the metallic housing, the metallic housing having a first longitudinal end and a second longitudinal end and a longitudinal length between the first and second longitudinal ends; and

a polymeric material molded around the metallic housing to at least partially encapsulate the metallic housing of the solitary radioactive seed;

wherein the implantable therapeutic member is adapted to be implanted into patient tissue using a hollow needle;

wherein a portion of the molded polymeric material extends from one of the first and second longitudinal ends of the metallic housing to reduce a tendency of the seed to migrate and rotate within a patient'"'"'s body after implantation of the member; and

wherein the portion of the molded polymeric material, that extends from one of the first and second longitudinal ends of the metallic housing, causes the implantable therapeutic member to have a longitudinal length that is greater than the longitudinal length of the metallic housing.

20. The implantable therapeutic member of claim 19, wherein the portion of the molded polymeric material, which extends from one of the first and second longitudinal ends of the metallic housing, comprises a tail portion.

21. The implantable therapeutic member of claim 19, wherein the polymeric material is bio-adhesive.

22. The implantable therapeutic member of claim 19, wherein the polymeric material is bio-adherent.