Patent ID: 6338709
Filing Date: 2002-01-15
Classification: A61N

Abstract:
A device for treating a segment of a vessel in a patient, comprising:a catheter for delivering radiation; an elongate inner guidewire sized to fit within said radiation catheter, said radiation catheter sliding on said inner guidewire such that said inner guidewire guides said radiation catheter to said segment of the vessel; at least one expandable structure at a distal end portion of said inner guidewire, said inner guidewire and said expandable structure configured such that said expandable structure can be positioned distal to said segment; and a radioactive source for treating the vascular segment, said radioactive source at a distal end portion of said radiation catheter, wherein said expandable structure supports both said distal end portion of said inner guidewire and said distal end portion of said radiation catheter to generally center said distal end portion of said radiation catheter within the vessel.