Apparatus and method to treat a disease process in a luminal structure
AssigneeThe Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York
InventorJudah Z. Weinberger
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus and a method to treat a disease process in the vicinity of a luminal structure. Comprises a balloon catheter having a balloon and a tube segment of radioactive material located either inside the balloon or outside the balloon.
Claims23
An apparatus for treating a disease process in the vicinity of a luminal structure, comprising:
- a balloon catheter having a shaft and an inflatable balloon;
- and
- a tube having a distal tube segment adapted to cover said balloon, said tube segment including radioactive material, said tube being radioactive only at its distal tube segment.
An apparatus for treating a disease process in the vicinity a luminal structure, comprising:
- a balloon catheter having a shaft and an inflatable balloon;
- and
- a tube having a tube segment mounted on the balloon, said tube segment including radioactive material, said tube being radioactive only at its tube segment.
A method for treating a disease process in the vicinity of a luminal structure comprising:
- inserting a balloon catheter into a luminal structure, said balloon catheter having an inflatable balloon;
- inserting a tube having a tube segment which includes radioactive material, but which is not otherwise radioactive, so that the tube segment is located over the balloon;
- inflating the balloon with fluid to move the tube segment closer to the interior of the luminal structure to administer a radiation dose to the luminal structure;
- deflating the balloon and tube segment;
- and
- removing the tube after a desired radiation dose has been achieved.
A method for treating a disease process in the vicinity of a luminal structure comprising:
- inserting a balloon catheter into a luminal structure, said balloon catheter having an inflatable balloon;
- inserting a tube having an expansible tube segment on the outside of the balloon, said tube having radioactive material only at the tube segment;
- inflating the balloon to thereby expand the tube segment and administer a radiation dose to the luminal structure;
- deflating the balloon causing the tube segment to reduce in size;
- and
- removing the tube from the luminal structure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.