Brachytherapy apparatus and method for use with minimally invasive surgeries of the lung
AssigneeXoft, Inc.
InventorsMark P. Carol, James E. Jervis, Paul A. Lovoi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Brachytherapy treatment of a patient's lung tissue following resection is effected using a balloon applicator which is inserted, normally through the same opening used for the surgery, through the chest wall and into the cavity. The lung and chest openings are closed around the applicator and generally sealed around the applicator. A suction port is provided, in a suction circuit of the applicator, to withdraw fluid from the pleural cavity, at intervals as needed, to assure that the lung can be inflated. Different embodiments of suction circuits are disclosed. A bronchial applicator and method are also disclosed.
Claims11
A method for brachytherapy treatment in a human lung, following resection of lung tissue, comprising:
- extending an applicator through the skin and visceral and the parietal pleura into the lung tissue and into a resection cavity, said applicator having an inflatable balloon at its distal end,
- the applicator having a shaft supporting the balloon, and defining an internal channel adapted to receive a catheter carrying a source of ionizing radiation near the distal end of the catheter, and the shaft including at a proximal end a hub through which the catheter can be inserted, and the hub including provision for inflating the balloon through the shaft,
- inflating the balloon within the resection cavity,
- irradiating tissue within the lung and adjacent to the resection cavity using the source carried by the catheter within the inflated balloon;
- following the step of irradiating tissue within the lung, deflating the balloon, withdrawing the applicator, and stitching or otherwise closing up any visceral and parietal pleura openings leading to the resection cavity and the skin;
- wherein the shaft includes a suction channel positioned to communicate via a suction circuit with a pleural cavity of the patient, to drain or evacuate fluid;
- wherein the applicator is partially withdrawn, followed by piercing or cutting a port in the suction channel.
A method for brachytherapy treatment in a human lung, following resection of lung tissue, comprising:
- extending an applicator through the skin into the lung tissue and into a resection cavity, said applicator having an inflatable balloon at its distal end,
- the applicator having a shaft supporting the balloon, and defining an internal channel adapted to receive a catheter carrying a source of ionizing radiation near the distal end of the
- catheter, and the shaft including at a proximal end a hub through which the catheter can be inserted, and the hub including provision for inflating the balloon through the shaft,
- inflating the balloon within the resection cavity,
- irradiating tissue within the lung and adjacent to the resection cavity using the source carried by the catheter within the inflated balloon;
- the shaft including a suction channel positioned to communicate via a suction circuit with a pleural cavity of the patient, to drain or evacuate fluid;
- and
- partially withdrawing the applicator, followed by piercing or cutting a port in the suction channel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.