Brachytherapy apparatus for dispensing medication
First Claim
1. A method of performing a brachytherapy procedure with an applicator system comprising a needle and a seed cartridge attached to the needle, the method comprising:
- inserting a brachytherapy needle having a lumen into a desired location in a patient along an insertion path extending from a proximal initial insertion point to a distal needle endpoint;
dispensing at least one radiation source from the seed cartridge into the lumen of the brachytherapy needle, then from the brachytherapy needle to a location in the insertion path; and
dispensing medication, separate from said at least one radiation source, from the lumen of the brachytherapy needle to a location in the insertion path before the brachytherapy needle is removed from the insertion path.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An applicator system for interstitial radiation therapy that uses a brachytherapy needle assembly for simultaneously dispensing an effective amount of medicine, such as anti-inflammatory agents, along with radioactive seeds. A medicine cartridge or a modified seed cartridge, having a reservoir on its proximal end, can be attached to the applicator body for dispensing medicine into a needle or medicine can be injected into the needle via a three-way fitting attached to the applicator body. Alternatively, a modified stylet having a reservoir on its proximal end containing medicine can be used to deliver medication to a needle. Additionally, the brachytherapy needle or the radioactive seeds and spacers can be coated with medication that would be absorbed by the body upon implantation.
54 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method of performing a brachytherapy procedure with an applicator system comprising a needle and a seed cartridge attached to the needle, the method comprising:
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inserting a brachytherapy needle having a lumen into a desired location in a patient along an insertion path extending from a proximal initial insertion point to a distal needle endpoint; dispensing at least one radiation source from the seed cartridge into the lumen of the brachytherapy needle, then from the brachytherapy needle to a location in the insertion path; and dispensing medication, separate from said at least one radiation source, from the lumen of the brachytherapy needle to a location in the insertion path before the brachytherapy needle is removed from the insertion path. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 18)
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9. A brachytherapy applicator system, comprising:
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a brachytherapy needle having a lumen, a needle chuck coupled to a proximal end of the brachytherapy needle, a radiation source cartridge coupled to said coupled chuck and needle, and a stylet adapted to push a seed through the lumen, said radiation source cartridge being adapted to dispense seeds into the coupled chuck and needle, one seed at a time, said stylet being adapted to push the seed through the lumen and then retract proximal of the cartridge; and a medication dispensing structure comprising a reservoir constructed to store liquid medication in fluid communication with the lumen of the brachytherapy needle, the system being constructed and arranged to separately dispense both said liquid medication and seeds to substantially the same location in a patient, through the lumen of the brachytherapy needle, without removing the brachytherapy needle from the patient. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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19. A method of performing a brachytherapy procedure with an applicator system comprising a needle and a seed cartridge attached to the needle, the method comprising:
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inserting a brachytherapy needle having a lumen into a desired location in a patient along an insertion path extending from a proximal initial insertion point to a distal needle endpoint; dispensing at least one radiation source from the cartridge into the brachytherapy needle, then from the needle to a location in the insertion path; and flowing liquid medication through said lumen, separate from the at least one radiation source, to a location in the insertion path before the brachytherapy needle is removed from the insertion path.
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20. A brachytherapy applicator system, comprising:
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a brachytherapy needle having a lumen, a needle chuck coupled to a proximal end of the needle, a radiation source cartridge coupled to said coupled chuck and needle, and a stylet configured to push a seed through the lumen, said radiation source cartridge being constructed and arranged to dispense seeds into said coupled chuck and needle, one seed at a time, said stylet being adapted to push the seed through the lumen and then retract proximal of the cartridge; and a medication dispensing structure comprising a reservoir constructed to store liquid medication in fluid communication with the lumen, the system being constructed and arranged to direct said liquid medication to coat a seed as said seed is pushed through the lumen by the stylet.
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21. A brachytherapy applicator system, comprising:
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a brachytherapy needle having a lumen, a needle chuck coupled to a proximal end of the needle, a radiation source cartridge coupled to said coupled chuck and needle, and a stylet configured to push a seed through the lumen, said radiation source cartridge being constructed and arranged to dispense seeds into said coupled chuck and needle, one at a time, said stylet being adapted to push the seed through the lumen and then retract proximal of the cartridge; and a medication dispensing structure comprising a reservoir constructed to store medication in communication with the lumen, the system being constructed and arranged to dispense said liquid medication, separate from said seeds, to substantially the same location in a patient, through the lumen, without removing the needle from the patient. - View Dependent Claims (22)
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Specification