Search

EP-3762103-B1 - RADIOTHERAPY SEEDS AND APPLICATORS

EP3762103B1EP 3762103 B1EP3762103 B1EP 3762103B1EP-3762103-B1

Inventors

  • KELSON, ITZHAK
  • KEISARI, YONA
  • SCHMIDT, MICHAEL
  • MAGEN, Ofer
  • SOSNOVITCH, Amitai
  • KERET, Guy
  • GAT, Amnon

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20190307

Claims (15)

  1. Apparatus for brachytherapy, comprising: a casing (200, 600) comprising an elongate tube (202, 602) configured to carry one or more brachytherapy seeds; a protective cap covering the elongate tube; and one or more brachytherapy seeds (102), within the elongate tube (202), wherein the seeds (102) are carrying atoms of a radioactive element for radiotherapy treatment, wherein the casing (200, 600) has a distal end through which the one or more brachytherapy seeds may exit the casing (200, 600); characterized in that : the one or more brachytherapy seeds (102) carry alpha emitting particles, and the apparatus includes a viscous liquid within the elongate tube (202, 602), the viscous liquid surrounding the one or more seeds (102), in a manner preventing daughter nuclei from the atoms on the one or more brachytherapy seeds (102) from exiting the casing (200, 600).
  2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the casing comprises a needle (502, 702).
  3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the viscous liquid comprises glycerine.
  4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the casing comprises a seed applicator (202) including the elongate tube adapted for insertion into a patient and a stylet within the elongate tube.
  5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the casing comprises a hub (204) at a proximal end of the elongate tube (202), wherein the hub has an empty chamber configured to collect excess viscous liquid from the elongate tube when the viscous liquid expands due to heat sterilization.
  6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein a distal end of the hub (204) connecting to the elongate tube has a funnel shape (226) configured to allow viscous liquid from the elongate tube (202) entering the hub (204) to return back to the elongate tube.
  7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the casing comprises a seed capsule (600) including the elongate tube, a needle port (614) configured to receive a needle on a first end of the elongate tube, and a piston (608) on a second end, and wherein movement of the piston (608) urges the one or more brachytherapy seeds into the needle in the needle port (614).
  8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the needle port (614) is configured to receive the needle in an orientation such that the one or more brachytherapy seeds enter the needle along with a portion of the viscous liquid.
  9. The apparatus of any of claims 1-8, wherein each of the one or more brachytherapy seeds has a length of at least 0.2 centimeters.
  10. The apparatus of any of claims 1-9, wherein each of the one or more brachytherapy seeds (102) has a length of at least 0.5 centimeters.
  11. The apparatus of any of claims 1-10, wherein each of the one or more brachytherapy seeds (102) comprises a cylindrical tube with an internal tunnel, each seed has an outer diameter of at least 0.3 millimeters, the apparatus further comprising a delivery wire which passes through the internal tunnel of the one or more brachytherapy seeds (102).
  12. The apparatus of any of claims 1-11, wherein the one or more brachytherapy seeds comprise seeds (102) formed of a biocompatible conducting material.
  13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the one or more brachytherapy seeds (102) comprise stainless steel seeds.
  14. The apparatus of any of claims 1-10, wherein each of the one or more brachytherapy seeds (102) comprises a cylindrical tube with an internal tunnel, the apparatus further comprising a delivery wire which passes through the internal tunnel of the one or more brachytherapy seeds (102), and wherein the one or more brachytherapy seeds are configured to be removed from the patient after a treatment duration using the delivery wire.
  15. The apparatus of any of claims 1-8, wherein the viscous liquid comprises a biocompatible material which can withstand sterilization at about 160 degrees Celsius.

Description

The present invention relates generally to radiotherapy and particularly to apparatus for applying alpha particle seeds to patients. Brachytherapy is a powerful means for radiotherapy of certain types of tumors, including malignant tumors. Proper delivery of seeds with embedded particle emitters is important to the success of the therapy. The delivery should accurately position the seeds inside the tumor, without premature exposure of tissue of the patient and others to radioactive and otherwise unhealthy substances. US patent publication 2015/0375011, describes a brachytherapy seed with bimetallic strips that will "curl up" when exposed to body temperatures for fixing a seed in its proper location. In many cases, brachytherapy devices are implanted permanently in the tumor and are not removed. US patent publication 2003/0088144 to Terwilliger et al., titled: "Improved Delivery System and Method for Interstitial Radiotherapy Using Hollow Seeds, suggests using a bioabsorbable seed strand on which a plurality of tubular shaped, hollow radioactive seeds are mounted. In other cases, brachytherapy devices are implanted for short durations, generally up to several hours, in what is referred to as temporary brachytherapy. US patent 9,272,160 to Kader et al., describes a brachytherapy strand with a tether, which may be used for removal of the strand. US patent publication 2010/0249487, describes a flexible brachytherapy device to be implanted in a body, with a tail portion extending outside the body. The tail portion may be used for removal of the brachytherapy device at therapy completion. There have been suggestions to use a hollow needle and a stylet to deliver seeds to an implant location in a tumor. US patent publication 2003/0191355 to Ferguson, describes delivery of a seed array in a needle using a stylet. US patent publication 2008/0269540 to Lamoureux, describes urging seeds and optional spacers from a seed cartridge assembly, through a hollow needle, to a distal end of the hollow needle; and retracting the hollow needle, while a stylet is held in place, to thereby deposit the seeds and optional spacers at a desired location. Reference is made to a long stylet as well as a shorter stylet. US patent 6,752,753 to Hoskins et al., describes a needle and stylet for delivering seeds to a tumor. An important issue in utilization of brachytherapy devices is protection of healthy tissue from undesired radiation. US patent publication 2014/0048729, describes a light weight protection device to be worn on sensitive body organs. US patent publication 2018/0082760, describes a transparent radiation shield. WO2017157880 discloses a drive threaded joint for insertion in a body structure that provides improved activation of inserted implants. WO2017173352 discloses a device having a biocompatible polymer as a body and regularly spaced radiation seeds and regularly spaced magnetic materials disposed of within the body of the biocompatible polymer, or uniformly distributed liquid radiation and magnetic fluid materials within a polymer slab, hollow thick wall polymer shell, or thin wall polymer balloon. According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus as set out in the appending independent claim. Features of various embodiments are set out in the appending dependent claims. There is also disclosed herein examples of an apparatus for brachytherapy, including a casing, one or more brachytherapy seeds for implanting in a patient, carrying atoms of a radioactive element for radiotherapy treatment, within the casing, and a viscous liquid within the casing, in a manner preventing radiation from the one or more brachytherapy seeds from exiting the casing. Optionally, the casing comprises a needle. Alternatively, the casing comprises a seed applicator including a tube adapted for insertion into a patient and a stylet within the tube. Further alternatively, the casing comprises a seed capsule including a needle port on a first end and a piston carrying the one or more brachytherapy seeds on a second end, and movement of the piston urges the one or more brachytherapy seeds into a needle in the needle port. Optionally, the viscous liquid comprises glycerine. Optionally, the casing comprises a hub at a proximal end of the elongate tube, wherein the hub has an empty chamber configured to collect excess viscous liquid from the elongate tube when the viscous liquid expands due to heat sterilization. Optionally, a distal end of the hub connecting to the elongate tube has a funnel shape configured to allow viscous liquid from the elongate tube entering the hub to return back to the elongate tube. Optionally, the needle port is configured to receive the needle in an orientation such that the one or more brachytherapy seeds enter the needle along with a portion of the viscous liquid. There is also disclosed herein examples of a method, not forming part of the invention, of loading a needle with brachytherapy see