Radioactive therapeutic fastening instrument

An instrument used as a brachytherapy delivery means in the treatment of cancer by radiation therapy, said apparatus comprising:

• a control handle;
• an end effector;
• an instrument shaft that connects the control handle with the end effector;
• said end effector comprised of first and second adjacently disposed cartridges that each retain a set of staples;
• said first cartridge for holding standard staples in a first array, and dispensing said standard staples under operation from said control handle;
• said second cartridge for holding radioactive source staples in a second array;
• said source staples each comprised of a base, tissue piercing ends, a radioactive source,
• and means for mounting the radioactive source to the base;
• said second cartridge for dispensing said source staples under operation from said control handle;
• said cartridges for retaining and selectively applying the staples along a surgical margin so that the standard staples close the incision at a surgical margin while the source staples are secured adjacent thereto.