Patent ID: 8795145

Claim:
A system for delivering brachytherapy to a target tissue region within a breast, the system comprising a plurality of elongate therapy devices, each therapy device comprising: an elongate tubular member comprising a tail portion including a proximal end, and a therapy delivery portion including a distal end sized for introduction through tissue of a breast to a target tissue region, and a first lumen extending between an opening in the proximal end and the distal end; a support member extending along the therapy delivery portion of the tubular member outside the first lumen without extending to the tail portion, the support member substantially fixed relative to the therapy delivery portion; the therapy delivery portion positionable in a curved configuration within the breast for delivery of radiation to the target tissue region, wherein the support member biases the target therapy portion for advancement through tissue in a straight configuration and allows deployment to the curved configuration within the target tissue region, the support member substantially maintaining the therapy delivery portion in a fixed or static position in the curved configuration when deployed within the target tissue region; and the tail portion sufficiently long to extend from the breast when the target delivery portion is introduced into the target tissue region of the breast, whereby the plurality of elongate therapy devices is advanceable through tissue until the therapy delivery portion of each of the tubular members is positioned within or around the target tissue region in the curved configuration, allowing a radiation source to be introduced into the first lumen of the each of the tubular members through the opening in the proximal end for delivering radiation therapy to the target tissue region.