BRACHYTHERAPY APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR USING SAME
First Claim
1. A system for delivering brachytherapy to a target tissue region within a breast, the system comprising a plurality of elongate therapy devices, each therapy device comprising:
- an elongate tubular member comprising a tail portion including a proximal end, and a therapy delivery portion including a distal end sized for introduction through tissue of a breast to a target tissue region, and a first lumen extending between an opening in the proximal end and the distal end;
a support member extending along the therapy delivery portion of the tubular member outside the first lumen without extending to the tail portion, the support member substantially fixed relative to the therapy delivery portion;
the therapy delivery portion positionable in a curved configuration within the breast for delivery of radiation to the target tissue region, the support member substantially maintaining the therapy delivery portion in a fixed or static position in the curved configuration when deployed within the target tissue region; and
the tail portion sufficiently long to extend from the breast when the target delivery portion is introduced into the target tissue region of the breast,whereby the plurality of elongate therapy devices is advanceable through tissue until the therapy delivery portion of each of the tubular members is positioned within or around the target tissue region in the curved configuration, allowing a radiation source to be introduced into the first lumen of the each of the tubular members through the opening in the proximal end for delivering radiation therapy to the target tissue region.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus, systems and methods are provided for delivering brachytherapy to a target tissue region of a human or other mammalian body. In some embodiments, a flexible brachytherapy device is implanted that includes a therapy delivery portion having one or more radioactive sources securely retained thereto, and a tail portion extending from the therapy delivery portion. Once implanted, the tail portion may extend outside the body, where it may be folded and secured flat against the skin. The device may be removed at therapy completion. Other embodiments of the invention are directed to systems and methods for delivering brachytherapy devices to the body.
68 Citations
62 Claims
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1. A system for delivering brachytherapy to a target tissue region within a breast, the system comprising a plurality of elongate therapy devices, each therapy device comprising:
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an elongate tubular member comprising a tail portion including a proximal end, and a therapy delivery portion including a distal end sized for introduction through tissue of a breast to a target tissue region, and a first lumen extending between an opening in the proximal end and the distal end; a support member extending along the therapy delivery portion of the tubular member outside the first lumen without extending to the tail portion, the support member substantially fixed relative to the therapy delivery portion; the therapy delivery portion positionable in a curved configuration within the breast for delivery of radiation to the target tissue region, the support member substantially maintaining the therapy delivery portion in a fixed or static position in the curved configuration when deployed within the target tissue region; and the tail portion sufficiently long to extend from the breast when the target delivery portion is introduced into the target tissue region of the breast, whereby the plurality of elongate therapy devices is advanceable through tissue until the therapy delivery portion of each of the tubular members is positioned within or around the target tissue region in the curved configuration, allowing a radiation source to be introduced into the first lumen of the each of the tubular members through the opening in the proximal end for delivering radiation therapy to the target tissue region. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A system for delivering brachytherapy to a target tissue region within a breast, comprising:
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a cannula sized for introduction through tissue to a target tissue region within a breast; a therapy device comprising; a) an elongate tubular member comprising a tail portion including a proximal end, a therapy delivery portion including a distal end sized for introduction through the cannula to the target tissue region, and a first lumen extending between an opening in the proximal end and the distal end; b) a support member extending along the therapy delivery portion of the tubular member outside the first lumen, the support member substantially fixed relative to the therapy delivery portion; c) the therapy delivery portion positionable in a curved configuration within the breast for delivery of radiation to the target tissue region; and d) the tail portion sufficiently long to extend from the breast when the target delivery portion is introduced through the cannula into the target tissue region; and one or more radiation sources introduceable into the first lumen through the opening in the proximal end for delivering radiation to the target tissue region. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
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25. A system for delivering brachytherapy to a target tissue region of the breast, comprising:
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at least one elongate tubular member comprising proximal and distal ends and a lumen extending between an opening in the proximal end and the distal end, the tubular member configured to be delivered along a first axis within the target tissue region; one or more radiation sources receivable through the opening in the proximal end into the lumen of the tubular member after the distal end has been received within a target tissue region for delivering radiation therapy to the target tissue region along a second non-linear axis; and a support member extending along and substantially fixed to a target therapy portion of the tubular member such that the support member is adjacent the one or more radiation sources when the one or more radiation sources are disposed within the target therapy portion, the support member shaped to bias the target therapy portion for advancement through tissue in a straight configuration and allow deployment to a curved configuration within the breast for delivery of radiation to the target tissue region. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A system for delivering brachytherapy to a target tissue region within a breast, the system comprising a plurality of elongate therapy devices, each therapy device comprising:
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an elongate tubular member comprising a tail portion including a proximal end, a therapy delivery portion including a distal end sized for introduction through tissue of a breast to a target tissue region, and a first lumen extending between an opening in the proximal end and the distal end; and a support member extending along the therapy delivery portion of the tubular member outside the first lumen without extending to the tail portion, the support member substantially fixed along the therapy delivery portion, the support member offset from the first lumen such that the therapy delivery portion is advanceable through tissue in a straight configuration and deployable to a curved configuration within the breast for delivery of radiation to the target tissue region, and a tail portion extending from the therapy delivery portion such that the tail portion extends from the breast when the target delivery portion is introduced into the target tissue region of the breast, allowing a radiation source to be introduced into the first lumen of the tubular member through the opening in the proximal end for delivering radiation therapy to the target tissue region after the target delivery portion has been introduced into the target tissue region. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. A system for delivering radiation therapy to a target tissue region within a breast, comprising:
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at least one therapy delivery element comprising a tubular member comprising a tail portion including a proximal end, a therapy delivery portion including a distal end sized for introduction through tissue of a breast to a target tissue region, and a first lumen extending between an opening in the proximal end and the distal end, the tubular member comprising a support member extending along and substantially fixed relative to the therapy delivery portion of the tubular member without extending to the tail portion, the support member offset from the first lumen and constructed to cause bending in a predetermined, preferred plane of bending to provide conformance of the at least one therapy delivery element to the target region of the lumpectomy cavity to be irradiated; and one or more radiation sources receivable through the opening in the proximal end of the tubular member into the first lumen after the target delivery portion has been introduced into the target tissue region. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51)
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52. An implantable brachytherapy treatment system for treating a target tissue region within a breast, comprising:
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at least one elongate tubular member comprising a proximal end, a distal end sized for introduction through tissue of a breast to a target tissue region, and a first lumen extending between an opening in the proximal end and the distal end; and a support member extending along a therapy delivery portion between the proximal end and distal end of the tubular member outside the first lumen, the support member substantially fixed relative to the therapy delivery portion, the support member offset asymmetrically relative to the first lumen for delivering the tubular member through tissue in a straight configuration and deploying the target delivery portion in a curved configuration within or around the target tissue region; and a radiation source receivable in the first lumen of the tubular member through the opening in the proximal end for delivering radiation therapy to the target tissue region in the curved configuration after the target delivery portion has been introduced into the target tissue region. - View Dependent Claims (53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62)
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Specification