Needle having an aperture for detecting seeds or spacers loaded therein and colored seeds or spacers

• US 6,572,525 B1
• Filed: 05/26/2000
• Issued: 06/03/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lisa Yoshizumi
• Original Assignee: Lisa Yoshizumi
• Inventors: Yoshizumi, Lisa
• Primary Examiner(s): Hindenburg, Max F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SZMAL, BRIAN SCOTT
• Application Number:
  US09/579,429
• Time in Patent Office: 1,103 Days
• Field of Search: 600/1, 600/2, 600/3, 600/4, 600/5, 600/6, 600/7, 600/8, 600/427
• US Class Current: 600/7
• 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 2005/1023 Means for creating a row of seeds, e.g. spacers
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1007 Arrangements or means for the introduction of sources into the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1027 Interstitial radiation therapy

Abstract

The invention provides a device for use in brachytherapy applications for implanting seeds and spacers into tissue that includes a needle or shaft having an aperture or slit down the side that exposes the interior space of the shaft to allow the sequence of seeds and spacers to be detected by observing their position through the aperture. The invention also provides colored seeds and/or colored spacers that facilitate visual detection of a load sequence of seeds and spacers in any brachytherapy device. Methods and systems using the needle or shaft having a slit, or for using the colored seeds or spacers, are also provided.

Claims

1. A device for implanting seeds and spacers into tissue comprising, a shaft enclosing an interior space for receiving a load sequence of seeds and/or spacers, the shaft containing an aperture positioned along a portion of the shaft toward a proximal end that is inserted into to the tissue, the aperture exposing a portion of the interior space sufficient to detect the load sequence of seeds and spacers after said load has been received into the shaft, the aperture being selectably in an open position where a portion of the interior space is exposed allowing detection of the load sequence of seeds and spacers, or in a closed position where the portion of the interior space is not exposed.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the seeds are radioactive seeds used in a brachytherapy procedure.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein the brachytherapy procedure is for treatment of prostate cancer.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the aperture is a slit along a longitudinal axis of the shaft.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein the shaft is a needle having the proximal end for insertion into tissue and a distal end for receiving a stylet for urging the load sequence of seeds and spacers into the tissue.

6.The device of claim 1 wherein the shaft is a sleeve member that is received into a needle member, wherein the needle member also has a proximal end for insertion into tissue and has a distal end for receiving the sleeve member.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein the shaft is received into a catheter member, wherein the catheter member provides a route for inserting the load of spacers and seeds into tissue.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein the aperture is also positioned a toward a distal end of the shaft, wherein the distal end receives a stylet for urging the load sequence of seeds and spacers into the tissue.

8. The device of claim 1 further including a stopping mechanism that holds the load sequence of seeds and spacers in a first position where the load sequence is visible through the aperture.

9. The device of claim 1 wherein the aperture is sized to allow visual detection of load sequence of seeds and spacers.

10. The device of claim 1 wherein the load sequence of the seeds and spacers is detected by an optical scanning device.

11. The device of claim 1 wherein the aperture extends for a distance of about 5-7 cm along a longitudinal axis of the shaft.

12. The device of claim 1 wherein the aperture is covered by a transparent or translucent material.

13. The device of claim 1 that is pre-loaded with a sequence of seeds and spacers, wherein the sequence of seeds and spacers is selected according to an individual or common treatment plan.

14. The device of claim 1 wherein the shaft is used in a brachytherapy treatment of prostate cancer.

15. A seed for implanting into tissue in a load sequence with a spacer, wherein the seed is colored with a biologically acceptable dye to identify the seed.

16. The seed of claim 16 wherein the seed is radioactive.

17. The radioactive seed of claim 16 wherein the seed is colored to identify the seed by criteria selected from the group consisting of isotope, dose, assay date or manufacturer.

18. The seed of claim 16 wherein the seed is colored with a fluorescent dye.

19. The seed of claim 16 wherein the seed is colored with a dye selected to distinguish the seed from a color of a spacer.

21.The seed of claim 16 wherein the seed is colored with a dye that has anti-tumor properties.

20. A spacer for implanting into tissue in a load sequence with a radioactive seed, wherein the spacer is colored with a biologically acceptable dye to identify the spacer.

22. The spacer of claim 22 wherein the spacer is colored with a fluorescent dye.

21. The spacer of claim 22 wherein the spacer colored to identify the spacer by criteria selected from the group consisting of size, material or manufacturer.

23. The spacer of claim 22 wherein the spacer is colored with a dye selected to distinguish the spacer from a color of a radioactive seed.

28. The system of claim 22 wherein the seeds are colored with a first color and the spacers are colored with a second color.

29. The system of claim 22 wherein the seeds are colored to identify the seeds by criteria selected from the group consisting of isotope, dose, assay date or manufacturer.

30. The system of claim 22 wherein the spacers are colored to identify the seeds by criteria selected from the group consisting of size, material or manufacturer.

24. A system for detecting a load sequence of seeds and spacers in a loading shaft, comprising seeds and spacers, wherein at least one of the seeds or spacers is colored with a biologically acceptable dye to provide an identifying color that distinguishes the seeds from the spacers.

26. The system of claim 26 wherein the seeds are colored and the spacers are not colored.

25. The system of claim 26 wherein the spacers are colored and the seeds are not colored.

27. The system of claim 26 wherein at least one of the seeds or spacers is colored with a fluorescent dye.

31. The system of claim 26 further including a brachytherapy device loaded with the colored seeds or spacers.

32. The system of claim 33 wherein the device is preloaded with the colored seeds or spacers according to an individual or common treatment plan.

33. The system of claim 34 further including instructions, a map, or a list that corresponds to the sequence of colored seeds or spacers.

34. The system of claim 26 used in a brachytherapy treatment of prostate cancer.

37. The method of claim 37 wherein the shaft is a sleeve member that is received into a needle member, wherein the needle member has the proximal end for insertion into tissue and has a distal end for receiving the sleeve member.

35. A method for detecting a load sequence of seeds and spacers in a brachytherapy device comprising,

receiving a load sequence of seeds and spacers into a shaft enclosing an interior space that receives the load sequence of seeds and spacers, wherein the shaft contains an aperture positioned along a portion of the shaft toward a proximal end that is inserted into to the tissue, the aperture exposing a portion of the interior space, the aperture being selectably in an open position where a portion of the interior space is exposed allowing detection of the load sequence of seeds and spacers, or in a closed position where the portion of the interior space is not exposed;

and

positioning the load sequence of seeds and spacers in the shaft so that the load sequence of seeds and spacers is detected through the aperture.

38.The method of claim 37 wherein the aperture is a slit along a longitudinal axis of the shaft.

36. The method of claim 37 wherein the shaft is a needle having the proximal end for insertion into tissue and has a distal end for receiving a stylet for urging the load sequence of seeds and spacers into the tissue.

38. The method of claim 37 wherein the shaft is received into a catheter member, wherein the catheter member provides a route for inserting the load of spacers and seeds into tissue.

39. The method of claim 37 wherein the shaft is preloaded with the sequence of seeds and spacers according to an individual or common treatment plan.

40. The method of claim 37 used in a brachytherapy treatment of prostate cancer.

41. A method of detecting a load sequence of seeds and spacers in a brachytherapy device comprising,

receiving a load sequence of seeds and spacers into a device, wherein at least one of the seeds or spacers is colored with a biologically acceptable dye to provide an identifying color that distinguishes the seeds from the spacers;

and

detecting the load sequence by detecting the position of the colored seeds or spacers.

44. The method of claim 44 wherein at least one of the seeds or spacers is colored with a fluorescent dye.

42. The method of claim 44 wherein the spacers are colored and the seeds are not colored.

43. The method of claim 44 wherein the seeds are colored and the spacers are not colored.

45. The method of claim 44 wherein the seeds are colored with a first color and the spacers are colored with a second color.

46. The method of claim 44 wherein the seeds are colored to identify the seeds by criteria selected from the group consisting of isotope, dose, or manufacturer.

47. The method of claim 44 wherein the spacers are colored to identify the seeds by criteria selected from the group consisting of size, material or manufacturer.0000.

48. The method of claim 44 further including loading the seeds and spacers into a shaft enclosing an interior space for receiving the load sequence of seeds and spacers, wherein the shaft contains an aperture positioned along a portion of the shaft that exposes a portion of the interior space, and

positioning the load sequence of seeds and spacers in the shaft so that the load sequence of seeds and spacers in the interior space is detectable through the aperture.

53. The method of claim 44 used in a brachytherapy treatment of prostate cancer.

51. The method of claim 51 wherein the shaft is a sleeve member that is received into a needle member, wherein the needle member has a proximal end for insertion into tissue and has a distal end for receiving the sleeve member.

49. The method of claim 51 wherein the aperture is a slit along a longitudinal axis of the shaft.

50. The method of claim 51 herein the shaft is needle having a proximal end for insertion into tissue and has a distal end for receiving a stylet for urging the load sequence of seeds and spacers into the tissue.

52. The method of claim 51 wherein the shaft is received into a catheter member, wherein the catheter member provides a route for inserting the load of spacers and seeds into tissue.

54. The method of claim 51 used in a brachytherapy treatment of prostate cancer.