Brachytherapy apparatus and methods

An apparatus comprising:

• a tubular needle extending in a longitudinal direction and having a tip with a front opening to be inserted into tissue;
• a holder supporting said needle;
• and
• a driver for electromechanically assisting said needle to move in said longitudinal direction in said tissue and causing said needle to undergo a rotary motion around said longitudinal direction.

An apparatus comprising:

• insertion means extending in a longitudinal direction and having an end to be inserted into tissue;
• holding means to support said insertion means;
• and
• driving means for electromechanically assisting said insertion means to move in said longitudinal direction in said tissue and causing said insertion means to undergo a rotary motion around said longitudinal direction.

An apparatus comprising:

• a brachytherapy needle extending in a longitudinal direction and having a tip with a front opening to be inserted into tissue;
• a holder supporting said needle;
• and
• a driver causing said needle to move in one or more of a rotating, longitudinal reciprocating, tamping, vibrational or orbital motion during at least a portion of time during which said needle is inserted into the tissue.

A method comprising the steps of:

• providing a tubular brachytherapy needle extending in a longitudinal direction and having a tip with a front opening;
• inserting said needle from said tip into tissue;
• electromechanically causing said needle to move in said longitudinal direction in said tissue;
• and
• causing a brachytherapy device to pass through said brachytherapy needle and to be deposited through said tip at a specified position inside said tissue.

A method comprising the steps of:

• providing a tubular brachytherapy needle extending in a longitudinal direction and having a tip with a front opening;
• inserting said brachytherapy needle from said tip into tissue until said front opening is at a specified position;
• pushing a brachytherapy device through said brachytherapy needle and depositing said brachytherapy device at said specified position;
• thereafter moving said brachytherapy needle inside said issue by a specified distance to bring said tip to another specified position;
• and
• thereafter pushing another brachytherapy device through said brachytherapy needle and depositing said another brachytherapy device at said another specified position.

A method comprising the steps of:

• providing a tubular needle extending in a longitudinal direction and having a tip with a front opening;
• inserting said needle from said tip into tissue until said front opening is at a specified position;
• pushing a brachytherapy device through said needle and depositing said brachytherapy device at said specified position;
• and
• thereafter injecting a quickly hardening liquid through said needle to cause said deposited brachytherapy device to remain at said specified position.

A method comprising the steps of:

• providing a tubular needle extending in a longitudinal direction and having a tip with a front opening;
• inserting said needle from said tip into tissue until said front opening is at a specified position;
• providing a brachytherapy unit containing a plurality of brachytherapy devices arranged sequentially inside a material so as to be mutually separated by specified distances;
• and
• pushing said unit through said needle in said longitudinal direction and depositing said brachytherapy device at said specified position.

A method comprising the steps of:

• providing a tubular needle extending in a longitudinal direction and having a tip with a front opening;
• inserting said needle from said tip in said longitudinal direction into tissue and withdrawing said needle so as to leave a longitudinal groove inside said tissue;
• and
• pushing one or more brachytherapy devices sequentially through said needle and out of said needle into said groove by injecting a quickly hardening liquid through said needle, thereby causing said liquid to harden inside said groove around said deposited brachytherapy devices.