Multimen brachytherapy balloon catheter
The disclosure describes a device for asymmetrical irradiation of a body cavity or site, such as after removal of tissue, e.g. biopsy or lumpectomy. The device includes an elongated tubular shaft having an inner lumen and a tubular wall with a plurality of lumens extending within the wall which are configured for receiving a radiation source. The distal portion of the tubular shaft is cut into a plurality of longitudinally separated wall segments with a lumen extending within at least one of the wall segments. A support member is positioned within the separated wall segments to support and position the wall segments in a desired configuration for brachytherapy. An expandable member such as an inflatable balloon is mounted on the distal shaft portion about the separated wall segments wall which when inflated secures the distal shaft portion within a desired intracorporeal site for brachytherapy treatment.
1 . A method of making a multi-lumen brachytherapy balloon catheter, comprising:
a. providing an elongated tubular shaft having an inner lumen, a tubular wall defining at least in part the inner lumen, a plurality of lumens within the wall and a tubular distal portion configured to receive a radiation source;
b. cutting the tubular distal portion into a plurality of longitudinally separated wall segments, with at least one wall segment having a lumen configured to receive a radiation source;
c. placing a support member between the longitudinally separated wall segments to position the separated wall segments in a desired configuration for brachytherapy; and
d. securing distal ends of the separated wall segments to a distal portion of the support member.
2 . The method of claim 1 including securing a distal tip to the distal end of the support member.
3 . The method of claim 2 wherein the distal tip has at least one proximally extending plugs which is inserted into a lumen in a wall segment to close off the lumen when the distal tip is secured to the support member.
4 . The method of claim 2 wherein the distal tip has a plurality of proximally extending plugs which are inserted into lumens of wall segments to close off the lumens when the distal tip is secured to the support member.
5 . The method of claim 1 wherein an expandable member is secured to the distal portion of the device.
6 . The method of claim 5 wherein the expandable member is a balloon and one end of the balloon is secured to the distal end of the support member and the proximal end of the balloon is secured to the elongated shaft proximal to the separated wall segments.