Patent ID: 6095967
Filing Date: 2000-08-01
Classification: A61M,A61N

Abstract:
An isotope seeding system that controls the release of radioactive seeds for treatment of cancerous cells to preclude against jamming and inadvertent migration of said radioactive seeds curing cancer treatment procedures, said system comprising:at least one seed that is chargeable with radioactive isotopes;a seed deployment assembly for locating and delivering said at least one seed into the tissue of an organism, proximate to said cancerous cells;said deployment assembly including an elongated cannula having a proximal and a distal end, said distal end opposite said proximal end and a conduit positioned therebetween;a hub assembly attached to the elongated cannula at the proximal end of said cannula, the hub assembly including a proximal and distal end, and an interior region, said distal end of said hub assembly operably associated with the proximal end of said elongated cannula for staging and directing said at least one seed through said elongated cannula from said cannula proximal end to said cannula distal end and, in turn, into said tissue at a desired location proximate said cancerous cells;an obturator for telescopic projection of said at least one seed through both said hub assembly and said elongated cannula; andsaid hub assembly having an initial inner diameter at its proximal end and an operable length between said proximal end of said hub assembly and said proximal end of said cannula, said ratio of said initial inner diameter at the proximal end of said hub assembly, relative to the operable length of said hub assembly, being in the range of 0.075 to 0.175, to ensure against the inadvertent migration and jamming of said at least one seed in said hub assembly; andthe interior region of said hub assembly including a first substantially conical section having a length and a second substantially conical section having a length, the length of the first conical section being at least 50% of the combined length of the first and second conical sections.