Method of making a sourcewire with integral capsule
AssigneeInterventional Therapies, LLC
InventorSam F. Liprie
Life of this patent
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Abstract
There is disclosed a method of forming a radioactive sourcewire and a radioactive sourcewire formed according to the preferred method. The method generally includes providing a substantially thick walled tubular member and drilling or counterboring an enlarged cavity in a distal end of the tubular member. A radioactive source is inserted into the tubular member and the distal end of the cavity is sealed shut. During drilling of the cavity, material removed from the inside of the cavity may be allowed to flow to the space between the bore of the tubular member and the cavity thereby to form a plug. Finally, the proximal end of the tubular member may be sealed shut.
Claims56
A flexible sourcewire for radiation treatment of diseases within a body, comprising:
- a flexible, elongated housing tube having an outer surface, a bore defining a first interior wall surface along a proximal portion of the elongated housing tube, and a cavity defining a second interior wall surface along a distal portion of the elongated housing tube;
- and
- a radioactive source, disposed within the cavity, and wherein the elongated housing tube is sealed proximal to the radioactive source and at a distal end.
A process for manufacturing a radioactive sourcewire for irradiating diseased tissue, the process comprising:
- providing a flexible, elongated housing tube having an outer surface and a bore defining a first interior wall surface along a proximal portion of the elongated housing tube;
- drilling or counterboring a distal end of the elongated housing tube along the bore to a predetermined distance, thus forming a cavity defining a second interior wall surface along a distal portion of the elongated housing tube;
- inserting source material into the cavity;
- and
- sealing at least a portion of the housing tube.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.