Tissue positioning apparatus and method for protecting tissue from radiotherapy
AssigneeProxima Therapeutics, Inc.
InventorRance A. Winkler
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A spacing apparatus for use with radiation therapy devices, and in particular, for use with a brachytherapy device. The spacing apparatus is useful in that the instrument is effective to limit the amount of radiation that comes into contact with the sensitive tissue proximate to the extraction site, and thereby protect sensitive tissue from overheating or hotspots, and/or protect against radiation exposure outside of the patient's body which may affect healthcare providers or others who might come close to the patient. In particular, the spacing apparatus is effective to control the proximity of a brachytherapy device to the outer surface of the sensitive tissue proximate to a surgical extraction site.
Claims19
A brachytherapy device, comprising:
- an insertion member having a proximal end and a distal end;
- an expandable surface member disposed on the distal end of the insertion member and effective to receive a radiation source for treating target tissue surrounding a surgical extraction site;
- a spacing element disposed adjacent to and not surrounding the expandable surface member, the spacing element having a predeterminable height and being adapted to position the expandable surface member at a distance apart from tissue surrounding the surgical extraction site, the distance being equal to the height of the spacing element.
A brachytherapy positioning system, comprising:
- a brachytherapy device for treating target tissue surrounding a surgical extraction site;
- a spacing apparatus adjacent to and not surrounding the first expandable surface member, comprising a spacing element having a predeterminable height and being adapted to position the brachytherapy device at a distance apart from tissue surrounding the surgical extraction site, the distance being equal to the height of the spacing element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.