Device for loading and pushing radioactive seeds

A brachytherapy treatment apparatus comprising a radioactive seed loading and pushing device, the radioactive seed loading and pushing device comprising:

• a seed reservoir containing radioactive seeds, free with respect to one another,
• a flexible push cable, and a motor-driven guide and drive device of the push cable configured to make the push cable switch from a retracted position clearing a loading area for a radioactive seed into a deployed position ensuring pushing of the seed from the loading area up to a downstream treatment area, the guide and drive device comprising a first actuator and a guide system for the push cable comprising a downstream branch forming the loading area for the radioactive seed and an upstream branch, extending the downstream branch at a proximal end of the downstream branch, inside which upstream branch a push end of the push cable is configured to retract, in a retracted position of the push cable, and
• a system ensuring loading of a seed from the reservoir up to the loading area, the treatment apparatus comprises a flexible catheter which extends up to a hollow needle configured to be inserted into the treatment area, the catheter extending a distal end of the downstream branch of the loading and pushing device and wherein the push cable is configured to push the radioactive seed from the loading area up to the at least one tip of the hollow needle, and in that the upstream branch is a first upstream branch, the system ensuring the loading of a seed from the seed reservoir up to the loading area comprising:
• a second upstream branch, the downstream branch extending at its proximal end by splitting into said first upstream branch and said second upstream branch and wherein the seed reservoir opens into the second upstream branch, at a pre-loading area of a seed,
• an actuation device comprising a second actuator and a push member configured to switch from a retracted initial position, beyond the proximal end, clearing the pre-loading area by enabling exit of a seed from the seed reservoir into the second branch up to a deployed position for which said push member moves the radioactive seed from the pre-loading area up to the loading area while preventing exit of a seed from the seed reservoir in the pre-loading area,
• a control unit configured, starting from the retracted position of the push cable and the retracted initial position of the push member, to:
• /a/advance said push member by the second actuator so as to push the radioactive seed from the pre-loading area into the second upstream branch up to the loading area in the downstream branch,
• /b/retract said push member into the second upstream branch by the second actuator so as to clear the proximal end of the downstream branch, and
• /c/advance the push cable by the first actuator so as to push the radioactive seed from the loading area up to said at least one tip of the hollow needle inserted into the treatment area in order to deposit the seed in line with the tip in the tissues of the patient.