Brachytherapy seed needle with window
First Claim
1. A needle for implanting radioactive seeds into the body of a patient, comprising:
- a hollow cannula defining a lumen; and
a push stylet telescopically receivable within said hollow cannula for advancing radioactive seeds through said lumen;
said hollow cannula having a side wall and an opening formed in said side wall through which at least a portion of said lumen can be visualized.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A brachytherapy needle comprises a hollow cannula defining a lumen through which radioactive seeds are delivered. A push stylet is telescopically received within the hollow cannula for advancing the radioactive seeds through the lumen of the cannula. The hollow cannula has a window formed in a side wall through which at least a portion of the lumen can be visualized. In the preferred embodiment the window comprises a slot formed in the side wall of the cannula through which radioactive seeds and intervening spacers can be viewed. Also in the preferred embodiment, a transparent covering, advantageously a sleeve of transparent, heat-shrinkable plastic, is disposed over the slot to prevent tissue from lapsing into the slot during implantation of the seeds.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A needle for implanting radioactive seeds into the body of a patient, comprising:
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a hollow cannula defining a lumen; and
a push stylet telescopically receivable within said hollow cannula for advancing radioactive seeds through said lumen;
said hollow cannula having a side wall and an opening formed in said side wall through which at least a portion of said lumen can be visualized. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 16)
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14. A needle for implanting radioactive seeds into the body of a patient, comprising:
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a hollow cannula having an outer periphery and defining a lumen through which radioactive seeds are delivered;
a push stylet telescopically received within said hollow cannula for advancing radioactive seeds through said lumen; and
a sleeve comprised of a lubricious material and overlying at least a portion of said outer periphery of said cannula, whereby when said cannula is inserted into the tissues of a patient, said sleeve reduces friction between said cannula and said tissues. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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17. A method for implanting radioactive seeds into the body of a patient, comprising the steps of:
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loading into a hollow lumen of a cannula a plurality of alternating radioactive seeds and spacers, said cannula having a side wall and an opening formed in said side wall through which at least a portion of said lumen can be visualized;
subsequent to said step of loading said seeds and spacers into said cannula, visualizing at least a portion of said radioactive seeds and spacers through said opening in said side wall of said cannula to verify that said seeds and spacers are properly loaded in said cannula;
inserting a forward end of said cannula into the body of a patient to a location adjacent a target site; and
ejecting said plurality of radioactive seeds and spacers into said body of said patient at said target site. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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Specification