Delivery system and method for interstitial radiation therapy using seed elements with ends having one of projections and indentations
First Claim
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1. A method for manufacturing therapeutic elements, comprising the steps of:
- selecting a plurality of radioactive seed elements, each having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end has one of an indentation and a projection and the second end has one of an indentation and a projection;
arranging said plurality of radioactive seed elements end-to-end with a desired spacing in between adjacent radioactive seed elements, said spacing customized to a patient'"'"'s treatment prescription;
introducing a liquid polymeric material into the spacing between the adjacent radioactive seed elements so that the liquid polymeric material engages said projections and said indentations of said first ends and said second ends without completely encapsulating said radioactive seed elements; and
allowing said liquid polymeric material to solidify in engagement with said ends, thereby connecting said ends of said plurality of radioactive seed elements to form a treatment strand, said treatment strand customized to the patient'"'"'s treatment prescription without the use of pre-fabricated spacers and said treatment strand having said plurality of radioactive seed elements connected by segments of the solidified polymeric material.
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Abstract
A delivery system and method for interstitial radiation therapy uses a seed strand composed of a plurality of radioactive seeds or encapsulated seeds having ends with projections or indentations connected by a polymer. The seed strand is axially stiff and radially flexible and is bioabsorbable in living tissue.
105 Citations
40 Claims
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1. A method for manufacturing therapeutic elements, comprising the steps of:
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selecting a plurality of radioactive seed elements, each having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end has one of an indentation and a projection and the second end has one of an indentation and a projection; arranging said plurality of radioactive seed elements end-to-end with a desired spacing in between adjacent radioactive seed elements, said spacing customized to a patient'"'"'s treatment prescription; introducing a liquid polymeric material into the spacing between the adjacent radioactive seed elements so that the liquid polymeric material engages said projections and said indentations of said first ends and said second ends without completely encapsulating said radioactive seed elements; and allowing said liquid polymeric material to solidify in engagement with said ends, thereby connecting said ends of said plurality of radioactive seed elements to form a treatment strand, said treatment strand customized to the patient'"'"'s treatment prescription without the use of pre-fabricated spacers and said treatment strand having said plurality of radioactive seed elements connected by segments of the solidified polymeric material. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. An improved method for manufacturing therapeutic elements by arranging a plurality of radioactive seed elements in a desired spacing for treatment of diseased tissue, the improvement comprising:
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arranging the plurality of radioactive seed elements at desired space intervals according to a prescription treatment plan, without the use of spacers, wherein each of the plurality of radioactive seed elements has one of an indentation and a projection at a first end and one of an indentation and a projection at a second end; flowing a liquid polymer into the space intervals between said plurality of radioactive seed elements and around said projections and indentations without completely encapsulating said radioactive seed elements; and allowing said liquid polymer to solidify to join said plurality of radioactive seed elements at said projections and indentations to form a treatment strand having axial rigidity and radial flexibility, and having said space intervals according to the prescription treatment plan.
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28. A method of manufacturing therapeutic elements for treatment of a diseased tissue, the method comprising:
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selecting a prescription treatment plan for treating the diseased tissue of a patient; selecting a polymeric material; selecting a species of radioactive seed element, said radioactive seed element having ends, said ends having one of an indentation and a projection; positioning a plurality of said radioactive seed elements in an end-to-end orientation to create a desired spacing determined by said prescription treatment plan without using spacers; flowing said polymeric material in a liquid form between and around the ends of the plurality of radioactive seed elements without completely encapsulating said radioactive seed elements; and allowing said liquid form of said polymeric material to solidify to form a treatment strand. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. An improved method for manufacturing therapeutic elements by arranging a plurality of radioactive seed elements in a jig in a desired spacing for treatment of diseased tissue, the improvement comprising:
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arranging in a jig a plurality of radioactive seed elements, said plurality of radioactive seed elements having a first end and a second end, wherein each first end has one of an indentation and a projection and each second end has one of the indentation and the projection; positioning the plurality of seeds at desired space intervals according to a tissue treatment plan, said positioning step performed without use of spacers; flowing a liquid polymer into the space intervals between said plurality of radioactive seed elements and around said projections and indentations of said radioactive seed elements without completely encapsulating said radioactive seed elements; and allowing said liquid polymer to solidify to join said plurality of radioactive seed elements at said ends in a treatment strand.
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40. A method of manufacturing therapeutic elements for treatment of a diseased tissue, the method comprising:
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selecting a prescription treatment plan for treating the diseased tissue of a patient; selecting a polymeric material; selecting a species of radioactive seed element; obtaining a plurality of radioactive seed elements of said species of radioactive seed elements, each of said radioactive seed elements having a first end and a second end, wherein each said first end has one of an indentation and a projection and each said second end has one of an indentation and an projection; positioning the plurality of said radioactive seed elements in a jig in an end-to-end orientation to create a desired spacing determined by said prescription treatment plan without the use of spacers; flowing said polymeric material in a liquid form between and around the ends of the plurality of radioactive seed elements without completely encapsulating said radioactive seed elements; and allowing said liquid form of said polymeric material to solidify to form a treatment strand.
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Specification