Patent ID: 7578781
Filing Date: 2009-08-25
Classification: A61M,A61N

Abstract:
1. A needle assembly for implanting radioactive seeds in tissue comprising: an implantation needle movable along an insertion axis under control of a first actuator; a wire fitting within the needle and movable therealong independently from movement of the needle along the insertion axis, movement of the wire under the control of a second actuator; and an electronic computer executing a stored program to provide signals to the first and second actuators to: (a) actuate the first actuator to position a distal end of the implantation needle at a seed location in the tissue; (b) actuate the second actuator to move a radioactive seed through the implantation needle to the distal end of the implantation needle; (c) actuate the first actuator to withdraw the distal end of the implantation needle by at least a length of the radioactive seed while holding the distal end of the wire fixed with respect to tissue to discharge the seed into tissue; (d) actuate the second actuator to retract the wire and implantation needle by a variable spacing between two successive seed locations; and (e) repeat steps (b)-(c) at least once for a second seed location before removing the implantation needle from the tissue.