Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
216 words
A fixable catheter for use in advancing and withdrawing a radioactive source therethrough to and from a site within a patient's body for treatment of a tumor at said site, comprising: hollow tube means having an unobstructed interior passageway between a proximal end and a distal end thereof for allowing passage of an elongate wire having a radioactive source adjacent the top thereof through said passageway, deployable anchor means selectively fixable to body tissue for self-securing said hollow tube means at a desired location within the patient's body in the vicinity of the treatment site, the anchor means including means for penetrating the body tissue, and coupling means connecting the anchor means to the hollow tube means at said distal end thereof for precise rigid retention of the distal end of the hollow tube means at said desired location against forces acting in a direction to withdraw the hollow tube means when the anchor means is deployed and fixed to tissue thereat, to permit precise positioning of the radioactive source within the passageway of the hollow tube means relative to the treatment site for irradiation of the tumor when conducting a fractionated therapy regimen over a period of time during which the radioactive source is to be repetitively advanced to and withdrawn from the treatment site.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
216 words
A fixable catheter for use in advancing and withdrawing a radioactive source therethrough to and from a site within a patient's body for treatment of a tumor at said site, comprising: hollow tube means having an unobstructed interior passageway between a proximal end and a distal end thereof for allowing passage of an elongate wire having a radioactive source adjacent the top thereof through said passageway, deployable anchor means selectively fixable to body tissue for self-securing said hollow tube means at a desired location within the patient's body in the vicinity of the treatment site, the anchor means including means for penetrating the body tissue, and coupling means connecting the anchor means to the hollow tube means at said distal end thereof for precise rigid retention of the distal end of the hollow tube means at said desired location against forces acting in a direction to withdraw the hollow tube means when the anchor means is deployed and fixed to tissue thereat, to permit precise positioning of the radioactive source within the passageway of the hollow tube means relative to the treatment site for irradiation of the tumor when conducting a fractionated therapy regimen over a period of time during which the radioactive source is to be repetitively advanced to and withdrawn from the treatment site.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
42 words
The invention of claim 1, wherein the coupling means includes means for selectively releasing the anchor means from its fixation to body tissue to permit withdrawl of the hollow tube means, the anchor means and the coupling means from the treatment site.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
33 words
The invention of claim 1, wherein the coupling means includes means for selectively uncoupling the anchor means from the hollow tube means for removal of the hollow tube means from the patient's body.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
43 words
The invention of claim 3, wherein the uncoupling means comprises a threaded fastener at the distal end of the hollow tube means for releasing the hollow tube means to permit withdrawal thereof while leaving the anchor means in its deployed tissue engaging position.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
60 words
The invention of claim 1, wherein, the anchor means includes deployment means for selectively deploying the tissue penetrating means to engage tissue for precise rigid retention of the distal end of the hollow tube means and self-centering thereof in a body duct at the treatment site without obstructing the radioactive source from traversing said passageway to reach the treatment site.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
32 words
The invention of claim 5, wherein the anchor means includes a storage area for retaining the tissue penetrating means in a non-deployed position during implantation of the catheter in the patient's body.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
The invention of claim 1, further including storage means adjacent the tube means for retaining the anchor means in a compressed position until selectively deployed.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
45 words
The invention of claim 7, wherein the storage means includes second hollow tube means coaxial and substantially coextensive with the first-mentioned hollow tube means and lying outside and spaced from the first-mentioned tube means, the space therebetween forming a retention area for the anchor means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
54 words
The invention of claim 1, further including: second hollow tube means coaxial and substantially coextensive with the first-mentioned hollow tube means and slidable over the first-mentioned hollow tube means for selectively forcing disengagement of the anchor means from the tissue when it is desired to withdraw the first-mentioned hollow tube means from the body.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
33 words
The invention of claim 1, wherein the tissue penetrating means includes at least one spring wire hook held in compression adjacent the tube means during implantation of the catheter in the patient's body.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
13 words
The invention of claim 10, wherein the spring wire hook comprises stainless steel.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
33 words
The invention of claim 1, wherein the distal end of the hollow tube means is closed to prevent penetration of tissue and body fluid into the hollow tube means at the treatment site.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
163 words
A device for catheter installation in a patient's body to permit repeated traversal of radioactive source material to and from the site of a malignancy in the patient's body for treatment thereof, said device comprising: a catheter; means for implanting the catheter through the site of the malignancy with its distal end extending beyond said site and its proximal end exposed outside the patient's body for access by the radioactive source material, and anchor means selectively deployable at the distal end of the catheter for penetration of tissue in the immediate vicinity of said distal end beyond said site and self-retention of the distal end of the catheter securely anchored against forces tending to dislodge it, whereby to maintain a substantially constant lineal depth from the proximal end of the catheter to the site of the malignancy so that the radioactive source material may be repeatedly advanced to and withdrawn from said site with assurance of periodic treatments at the precise desired location.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
163 words
A device for catheter installation in a patient's body to permit repeated traversal of radioactive source material to and from the site of a malignancy in the patient's body for treatment thereof, said device comprising: a catheter; means for implanting the catheter through the site of the malignancy with its distal end extending beyond said site and its proximal end exposed outside the patient's body for access by the radioactive source material, and anchor means selectively deployable at the distal end of the catheter for penetration of tissue in the immediate vicinity of said distal end beyond said site and self-retention of the distal end of the catheter securely anchored against forces tending to dislodge it, whereby to maintain a substantially constant lineal depth from the proximal end of the catheter to the site of the malignancy so that the radioactive source material may be repeatedly advanced to and withdrawn from said site with assurance of periodic treatments at the precise desired location.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
32 words
The invention of claim 13, further including disengagement means for releasing the anchor means to free the distal end of the catheter and permit removal of the catheter from the patient's body.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
49 words
The invention of claim 13, wherein the anchor means includes at least two barbs positioned at opposite sides of the distal end of the catheter for penetration of tissue at opposite sides of a body cavity to substantially center the distal end of the catheter within the body cavity.