Everting gynecological brachytherapy applicator and method

A method for gynecological brachytherapy treatment, comprising:

• providing an everting applicator, the applicator comprising a flexible generally tubular sleeve of rubbery elastomeric material having an internal lumen, the sleeve having a sleeve body and distal end wider than the sleeve body and configured to prevent entry into a vagina, the lumen terminating at a distal end opening, a mandrel having an internal mandrel lumen of sufficient size to receive a radiation source inserted into the mandrel lumen and having a distal end connected to a proximal end of the flexible sleeve, and the flexible sleeve having bending flexibility so as to evert when the distal end of the sleeve is braced against or adjacent to the exterior end of a body cavity,
• placing the distal end of the sleeve at the mouth of a vagina and restraining the distal end while pushing the flexible sleeve to cause the flexible sleeve to evert as it enters and extends into the vagina and restraining the distal end while pushing the flexible sleeve into the vagina, with an inner wall of the sleeve's lumen turning outwardly in progressively unrolling contact against the interior surface of the vagina until the outer surface of the flexible sleeve deeply overlaps the mandrel, and such that the mandrel thus extends at least partially into the vagina surrounded by the everted flexible sleeve, and
• extending a radiation source from a proximal end of the mandrel into the mandrel lumen to a desired position, and irradiating target tissues of the vagina.