Flexible source wire for localized internal irradiation of tissue
AssigneeUnited States Surgical Corporation
InventorSamuel F. Liprie
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A flexible source wire is provided containing a radioactive source that is capable of maneuvering through a tortuous narrow passage to a treatment site within the body. This source wire includes a thin flexible housing tube, housing therein a flexible backbone wire, wherein both the tube and the wire are constructed from a material exhibiting little or no memory retention when bent. A radioactive core is provided in the proximal end (i.e., the treatment end) of the thin flexible housing tube and abuts the proximal end of the backbone wire. Both ends of the source wire are sealed and the proximal end of the source wire is rounded to allow ease of movement as it travels through the bends and turns in the body.
Claims98
A source wire for radiation treatment of disease within a body comprising:
- a generally cylindrical elongated housing tube having an outer surface, an interior surface, a distal end, a rounded proximal end, and an original configuration, said tube constructed of a material that can accept up to a 1% strain with less than a 1% permanent alteration in said tube's original configuration;
- a flexible backbone wire having a first end and a second end, said wire encased and secured within said housing tube wherein said first end is adjacent to said distal end of said tube and said second end is rounded;
- and
- means for emitting radioactivity, said radioactive means localized within said housing tube adjacent to said rounded second end of said wire and proximate to said proximal end of said housing tube, wherein said proximal end is sealed to prevent the release of said radioactive means.
A source wire for radiation treatment of disease within a body comprising:
- a generally cylindrical elongated housing tube having an outer surface, an interior surface, a distal end, a rounded proximal end, and an original configuration, said tube constructed of a material that can accept up to a 1% strain with less than a 1% permanent alteration in said tube's original configuration;
- a flexible backbone wire having a first end and a second end, said wire encased and secured within said housing tube wherein said first end is adjacent to said distal end of said tube;
- means for reducing stress at said second end of said backbone wire when stress is applied to said second end;
- and
- means for emitting radioactivity, said radioactive means localized within said housing tube adjacent to a rounded second end of said wire and proximate to said proximal end of said housing tube, wherein said proximal end is sealed to prevent the release of said radioactive means.
A source wire for radiation treatment of disease within a body comprising:
- a generally cylindrical elongated housing tube having an outer surface, an interior surface, a distal end, a rounded proximal end, and an original configuration, said tube constructed of a material that can accept up to a 1% strain with less than a 1% permanent alteration in said tube's original configuration;
- a flexible backbone wire having a first end and a second end, said wire encased and secured within said housing tube wherein said first end is adjacent to said distal end of said to tube and said second end is rounded;
- and
- a capsule localized within said housing tube adjacent to said rounded second end of said wire and proximate to said proximal end of said housing tube;
- means for emitting radioactivity, said radioactive means situated within said capsule;
- and
- wherein said proximal end of said housing tube is seated to prevent the release of said radioactive means.
A source wire for radiation treatment of disease within a body comprising:
- a generally cylindrical elongated housing tube having an outer surface, an interior surface, a distal end, a rounded proximal end, and an original configuration, said tube constructed of a material that can accept up to a 1% strain with less than a 1% permanent alteration in said tube's original configuration;
- a flexible backbone wire having a first end and a second end, said wire encased and secured within said housing tube wherein said first end is adjacent to said distal end of said tube;
- means for reducing stress at said second end of said backbone wire when stress is applied to said second end;
- a capsule localized within said housing tube adjacent to said rounded second end of said wire and proximate to said proximal end of said housing tube;
- means for emitting radioactivity, said radioactive means situated within said capsule;
- and
- wherein said proximal end of said housing tube is seated to prevent the release of said radioactive means.
A source wire for radiation treatment of disease within a body comprising:
- a generally cylindrical elongated housing tube having an outer surface, an interior surface, a distal end, a rounded proximal end, and an original configuration, said tube constructed of a material that can accept up to a 1% strain with less than a 1% permanent alteration in said tube's original configuration;
- a flexible backbone wire having a first end and a second end, said wire encased and secured within said housing tube wherein said first end is adjacent to said distal end of said tube and said second end is rounded;
- and
- an encapsulated radioactive core localized within said housing tube adjacent to said rounded second end of said wire and proximate to said proximal end of said housing tube, wherein said proximal end of said housing tube is sealed to prevent the release of said radioactive core.
A source wire for radiation treatment of disease within a body comprising:
- a generally cylindrical elongated housing tube having an outer surface, an interior surface, a distal end, a rounded proximal end, and an original configuration, said tube constructed of a material that can accept up to a 1% strain with less than a 1% permanent alteration in said tube's original configuration;
- a flexible backbone wire having a first end and a second end, said wire encased and secured within said housing tube wherein said first end is adjacent to said distal end of said tube;
- means for reducing stress at said second end of said backbone wire when stress is applied to said second end;
- and
- an encapsulated radioactive core localized within said housing tube adjacent to said rounded second end of said wire and proximate to said proximal end of said housing tube, wherein said proximal end of said housing tube is sealed to prevent the release of said radioactive core.
A source wire for radiation treatment of disease within a body comprising:
- a generally cylindrical elongated housing tube having an outer surface, an interior surface, a distal end, and a rounded proximal end, said tube constructed of a nickel/titanium alloy;
- a flexible backbone wire having a first end and a second end, said wire encased within said housing tube wherein said first end is attached to said distal end of said tube and said second end is rounded and adjoins a tapered area of said backbone wire, said backbone wire being affixed to said interior surface of said housing tube at one or more points;
- and
- a radioactive core localized within said housing tube adjacent to said rounded second end of said wire and proximate to said proximal end of said housing tube, wherein said radioactive core has a smaller diameter than said backbone wire;
- and
- wherein said proximal end of said housing tube is sealed to prevent the release of said radioactive core.
In a source wire for delivery of a radioactive source to a site requiring treatment within a patient's body, in which an elongated housing tube containing a flexible non-radioactive backbone wire and a radioactive source is used to advance and withdraw the radioactive source to the desired location in the patient's body, the improvement comprising
- a means for increasing the flexibility of said source wire at the junction of said backbone wire and said radioactive source, wherein said means for increasing the flexibility of said source wire includes providing the backbone wire with a tapered proximal end terminating in a ball.
In an elongated source wire for delivery of a radioactive source to a site requiring treatment within a patient's body, in which a substantially elongated housing tube containing a substantially elongated flexible backbone wire and a radioactive source is used to advance and withdraw the radioactive source to the desired location in the patient's body, the improvement comprising
- a safety mechanism to prevent the radioactive source and a portion of the substantially elongated housing tube from separating from the substantially elongated backbone wire if the housing tube is broken.
In a source wire for delivery of a radioactive source to a site requiring treatment within a patient's body, in which an elongated housing tube containing a flexible backbone wire and a radioactive source is used to advance and withdraw the radioactive source to the desired location in the patient's body, the improvement comprising
- means for preventing the particles released from the radioactive source from entering the space between the backbone wire and the housing tube wherein said means for preventing is a circumferential weld formed between said backbone wire and an inner surface of said housing.
A source wire for radiation treatment of disease within a body comprising:
- a flexible housing;
- a flexible backbone wire having a first end and a rounded second end, said backbone wire encased within said housing;
- and
- means for emitting radiation within said housing and adjacent to said rounded second end of the flexible backbone wire.
A source wire for radiation treatment of disease within a body comprising:
- a flexible housing;
- a flexible backbone wire having a first end and a rounded second end, said backbone wire encased within said housing;
- and
- a radiation source adjacent to said rounded second end of the flexible backbone wire.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.