Apparatus and method for making carrier assembly for radioactive seed carrier
AssigneeAmersham Holdings, Inc.
InventorsMichael A. Langton, Frank J. Lyman, Jay C. Reed
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The method and apparatus for transporting a radioactive carrier device comprising flexible elongated bio-absorbable material having spaced radioactive seeds disposed therein in which the elongated material is loaded in a spacing jig member having spaced first recesses to accommodate the seeds and second recesses to accommodate the elongated material. The loaded jig member has a sheath shielding member placed over it. The carrier assembly is heated to make the carrier device non-deflecting. The carrier assembly, which is placed in a primary shipping container, also may be autoclaved prior to shipping the packaged assembly to a site of use.
Claims33
A carrier assembly containing radioactive seeds disposed within a bio-absorbable carrier material which is adapted to be inserted into a living tissue, said carrier assembly comprising:
- a seed carrier comprising an elongated member made of a carrier material absorbable in a living tissue and having a length substantially longer than its width;
- a plurality of predeterminedly spaced radioactive seeds disposed within said elongated member;
- a jig member having a plurality of first and second recesses therein, said first recesses having a shape to receive said seeds and said second recesses having a shape to receive said seed carrier;
- and,
- a removable sheath member disposed over said jig member, said sheath member having inner and outer surfaces, said inner sheath member surface being in slidable contact with at least a portion of said jig member;
- whereby, in use, said sheath member is disengageable from said jig member and at least a portion of said elongated member including at least one seed is removable from said jig member.
A carrier assembly for a radioactive seed carrier which is adapted to be inserted into a living tissue, said carrier assembly comprising:
- an elongated member made of a material which is absorbable in a living tissue and having a length substantially longer than its width;
- a plurality of predetermined spaced radioactive seeds disposed in said elongated member;
- a jig member having a first end and a second end and having a plurality of aligned first recesses and second recesses and having a shape in which said first recesses are adapted to receive said seeds and said second recesses are adapted to receive said elongated member;
- a sheath member adapted to seat over said jig member and be frictionally retained thereon;
- and,
- said sheath member, when assembled on said jig member, having a length which is sufficient to cover at least said first and second recesses in said jig member.
The method of forming a carrier assembly for an elongated carrier material which is absorbable in a living tissue and which has at least one radioactive seed disposed within said material, said method comprising:
- loading a carrier device comprising a flexible elongated material having at least one radioactive seed therein into a jig member having first recess and second recess, said seed being positioned in said first recess and said elongated material being positioned in said second recess;
- and,
- assembling a sheath member having inner and outer surfaces over said loaded jig member whereby at least a portion of said sheath member inner surface contacts said jig member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.