Orienting a brachytherapy applicator
View Patent ↗A device for orienting a brachytherapy applicator implanted in a treatment cavity may include an elongated body defining an open channel adapted for slidably receiving at least a portion of a shaft or catheter body of a brachytherapy applicator. A manually engageable gripping element at an end of the elongated body is actuated to constrict at least a portion of the channel around a portion of the shaft to help prevent shaft twist and rotational movement between the elongated body and brachytherapy applicator. At least one engaging element on the elongated body is actuated to releasably engage at least one corresponding engaging element on a brachytherapy applicator. Shaft twist and rotational discontinuity between the elongated body and brachytherapy applicator are further prevented when the at least one engaging element of the elongated body engages the at least one corresponding element of the brachytherapy applicator. The device can advantageously be mounted and removed while the applicator is inside the treatment cavity. Furthermore, the device is an “external tool” that engages the brachytherapy applicator externally about its outer surface.
1. An apparatus for orienting a brachytherapy applicator implanted in a treatment cavity of a body of a patient, the apparatus comprising:
an elongated body comprising an inner surface and an outer surface and defining an open proximal end, an open distal end, and an open continuous channel extending longitudinally between the proximal and distal ends for slidably receiving at least a portion of the brachytherapy applicator, wherein the channel is at least one of approximately semi-cylindrical, u-shaped, and c-shaped; and
at least one slot, wherein the at least one slot extends longitudinally from the distal end along only a portion of the elongated body, such that the at least one slot is defined by each of the outer surface and the inner surface and the distal end of the elongated body, wherein the at least one slot is configured to secure the elongated body to a corresponding engaging element on an outer surface feature of the brachytherapy applicator such that the brachytherapy applicator moves without twisting in response to movement of the elongated body.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 further including a manually engageable gripping element at the proximal end of the elongated body, the gripping element operable to constrict at least a portion of the channel to prevent rotational movement between the elongated body and the at least a portion of the brachytherapy applicator inserted into the channel.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the manually engageable gripping element includes a pair of opposing tabs adapted to move toward each other upon application of a lateral force on each tab to constrict the at least a portion of the channel.
4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the channel is defined by (i) a relaxed state where the elongated body is axially slidable in at least one direction relative to an inserted shaft or catheter body of the brachytherapy applicator and (ii) a constricted state which inhibits an inserted shaft or catheter body of the brachytherapy applicator from moving rotationally relative to the elongated body, the gripping element operable to move the channel between the relaxed and constricted states.
5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein at least a portion of an inner surface of the channel frictionally engages at least a portion of the outer surface of an inserted shaft or catheter body of the brachytherapy applicator when the channel is in the constricted state.
6. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the gripping element is one of (i) part of the elongated body and (ii) a separate component attached to the elongated body.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one slot includes two slots angularly spaced approximately 180 degrees relative to each other about a central longitudinal axis of the elongated body.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the channel defines an opening for receiving a shaft of the brachytherapy applicator.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one slot comprises:
a first slot extending longitudinally from the distal end, wherein the first slot is defined by each of the outer surface and the inner surface and the distal end of the elongated body; and
a second slot extending longitudinally from the distal end, wherein the second slot is defined by each of the outer surface and the inner surface and the distal end of the elongated body.
10. A brachytherapy system comprising:
a brachytherapy applicator adapted for insertion into a treatment cavity, the applicator including:
a flexible shaft defining a proximal end, a distal end and a shaft lumen extending between the proximal end and the distal end;
an inflatable member disposed about the distal end of the shaft; and
at least one dosing lumen extending through the shaft lumen and into the inflatable member; and
a device for orienting the brachytherapy applicator upon insertion into a treatment cavity, the device including:
an elongated body comprising an inner surface and an outer surface and defining an open proximal end, an open distal end, and
an open continuous channel extending longitudinally between the proximal end and the distal end of the elongate body, wherein the channel is adapted for slidably receiving at least a portion of the flexible shaft, wherein the open channel is at least one of approximately semi-cylindrical, u-shaped, and c-shaped; and
at least one slot, wherein the at least one slot extends longitudinally from the distal end along only a portion of the elongated body, such that the at least one slot is defined by each of the outer surface and the inner surface and the distal end of the elongated body, wherein the at least one slot is configured to secure the elongated body to an corresponding engaging element on an outer surface of the applicator such that the applicator moves without twisting in response to movement of the elongated body.
11. The system of claim 10 , further comprising a manually engageable gripping element at the proximal end of the elongated body, the gripping element operable to constrict at least a portion of the channel around at least a portion of the flexible shaft to prevent rotational movement between the elongated body and the brachytherapy applicator.
12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the manually engageable gripping element includes a pair of opposing tabs adapted to move toward each other upon application of a lateral force on each tab to constrict the at least a portion of the channel.
13. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the at least one slot comprises:
a first slot extending longitudinally from the distal end, wherein the first slot is defined by each of the outer surface and the inner surface and the distal end of the elongated body; and
a second slot extending longitudinally from the distal end, wherein the second slot is defined by each of the outer surface and the inner surface and the distal end of the elongated body.