Patent ID: 8409069

Claim:
A brachytherapy appliance, comprising: a body portion custom fitted to conform to a region of the oral cavity and configured for inserting into the oral cavity of a living body, the body portion when located both in and out of the cavity including at least one outer concave surface portion at least generally conforming to a convex contour or contours of an interior surface defining at least a portion of the cavity, such that the body portion is insertable into the cavity and retainable in a predetermined position and orientation adjacent to the interior surface by placement of the outer concave surface portion in overlaying generally conforming relation to the convex contour or contours; at least one catheter in connection with the body portion and having a predetermined portion disposed in fixed relation to the concave surface region so as to be located in a predetermined position and orientation relative to a cancer or diseased tissue in or adjacent to the interior surface when the body portion is retained in the predetermined position adjacent thereto; and an elongate element including a radiation emitting portion, at least a portion of the elongate element including the radiation emitting portion being adapted to be cooperatively received in the catheter to position the radiation emitting portion in predetermined relation to the cancer or diseased tissue when the body portion is retained in the predetermined position, for emitting radiation toward the cancer or diseased tissue, and at least one radiation shield incorporated into at least one portion of the body portion in fixed relation to and substantially larger than the at least one catheter for shielding healthy tissue of the living body from the emitted radiation.