US3872856A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for treating the walls and floor of the pelvic cavity with radiation
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1973-07-24
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Granted: 1975-03-25
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Expires: 1993-07-24
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus for treating carcinoma of the walls and floor of the pelvic cavity. An elongated tube has an inner end adapted to be placed in the pelvic cavity and an outer end adapted to extend through to the outside of the body. Radioactive material is placed at the inner end. An inner ballon above the radioactive material is inflated to hold a body of liquid shielding material such as mercury. A lower ballon portion beneath the inner balloon spaces areas to be treated such as the walls and floor of the pelvic cavity from the radioactive material. An upper balloon portion above the inner balloon keeps the intestines out of the pelvic cavity and away from the radioactive material. The apparatus is inserted into the pelvic cavity through an abdominal incision. When treating a woman for carcinoma in the walls and floor of the pelvic cavity the tube is moved through the vaginal passage from the inside outwardly. When treating a woman with a closed vaginal passage, as may result from surgery, or when treating a man, such as for carcinoma of the bladder, the tube will pass out of the body through a lower abdominal incision. Following treatment, all balloons are deflated so that the apparatus can be withdrawn through the vaginal passage or the lower abdominal incision, as the case may be.
Inventors
- 👤 Ralph S Clayton
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 18:32
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61N; A61N5/00; A61N5/10; A61N5/1001; A61N5/1014; A61N5/1015; A61B; A61B17/00; A61B17/22; A61B2017/22051; A61B2017/22065; A61B2017/22068; A61M; A61M25/00; A61M25/10; A61M2025/1043; A61M2025/1047; A61N2005/1092; A61N2005/1094
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim
206 words
An apparatus for treating carcinoma of the walls and floor of the pelvic cavity comprising: an elongated hollow tube having a closed inner end adapted to be located in the pelvic cavity, the tube adapted to extend through a body opening to the outside of the body and including an opened outer end adapted to be located outside the body, means for locating radioactive material in the tube at the vicinity of said inner end by passing the radioactive material into the opened outer end of the tube and through the tube, positioning means including at least one inflatable balloon having a spacing portion attached to and surrounding the exterior of the tube in the vicinity of the said inner end thereof, said ballon, when inflated, spacing the walls and floor of the pelvic cavity from the radioactive material to position the radioactive material a generally uniform distance from all wall and floor surfaces subject to the radiation, while the tube extends through the body opening, and means for introducing fluid into the inflatable balloon spacing portion to expand the same and for removing fluid from the inflatable balloon spacing portion to collapse the same to permit the removal of the apparatus through the body opening.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
206 words
An apparatus for treating carcinoma of the walls and floor of the pelvic cavity comprising: an elongated hollow tube having a closed inner end adapted to be located in the pelvic cavity, the tube adapted to extend through a body opening to the outside of the body and including an opened outer end adapted to be located outside the body, means for locating radioactive material in the tube at the vicinity of said inner end by passing the radioactive material into the opened outer end of the tube and through the tube, positioning means including at least one inflatable balloon having a spacing portion attached to and surrounding the exterior of the tube in the vicinity of the said inner end thereof, said ballon, when inflated, spacing the walls and floor of the pelvic cavity from the radioactive material to position the radioactive material a generally uniform distance from all wall and floor surfaces subject to the radiation, while the tube extends through the body opening, and means for introducing fluid into the inflatable balloon spacing portion to expand the same and for removing fluid from the inflatable balloon spacing portion to collapse the same to permit the removal of the apparatus through the body opening.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the balloon is of a material which is flexible and non-stetchable.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
82 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, including a shielding balloon adjacent the inner end of the tube, means for introducing into and removing from said shielding balloon a flowable radioactive shielding material, said shielding balloon being expandable in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction of the elongated tube such that the shielding material in the shielding balloon extends transversely to shield the portion of the body of the patient beyond the said inner end of the tube from the radioactive material.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
54 words
An apparatus according to claim 3, said at least one balloon including an upper inflatable balloon portion, said shielding balloon being formed integrally with the upper balloon portion such that when the upper inflatable balloon portion is inflated, its walls, in expanding, extend the shielding balloon transversely relative to the axis of the tube.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
79 words
An apparatus according to claim 4, including a stiff rod attached to and extending axially away from the inner end of the tube, said shielding balloon and said upper inflatable balloon portion being attached to and surrounding said rod, such that in the collapsed condition, when fluid has been removed from both of said balloon portions, the shielding balloon and the upper inflatable balloon portion collapse onto the rod in a shape to facilitate removal through the body cavity.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
56 words
An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said at least one balloon portion includes a spacing inflatable ballOon portion encircling the side of the tube, said spacing balloon portion having a surface which is spherical when inflated, all about the tube to define a portion of a sphere with radioactive source material at the center thereof.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
62 words
An apparatus according to claim 4, said upper and lower balloon portions being separate enclosures, and said means for introducing fluid into and removing fluid from said at least one balloon portion including separate tubes for each of said upper and lower balloon portions for introducing fluid into and removing fluid therefrom, each of said separate tubes extending alongside the elongated tube.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
60 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said at least one balloon includes a spacing inflatable balloon portion encircling the side of the tube, said spacing balloon constructed to inflate and to collapse and such that when inflated, its surface all about the tube defines generally a portion of a sphere with the radioactive source material at the center thereof.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein, in the collapsed condition, the spacing balloon portion collapses around the tube, to facilitate removal through the body cavity.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
17 words
An apparatus according to claim 8, said balloon being of a material which is flexible and non-stretchable.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
61 words
An apparatus according to claim 10, said positioning means including an upper balloon portion formed integrally with the spacing balloon portion, the upper balloon portion being larger in a direction transverse to the tube than the spacing balloon, the two balloon portions thus defining at the joining outer peripheries thereof a shoulder, and the two balloon portions forming a common cavity.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
49 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, said positioning means including an upper portion, at least a part of which is located beyond the said inner end of the tube for spacing from the radioactive material the portion of the patients body beyond the said inner end of the tube.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
49 words
An apparatus according to claim 12, said upper portion being circular in a direction transverse to the tube axis and extending farther from the tube than the spacing balloon portion and defining with the spacing balloon portion a shoulder to assist in positioning the balloon in the pelvic cavity.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
36 words
An apparatus according to claim 13, said upper and spacing balloon portions being separate cavities and said means for introducing fluid comprising separate fluid tubes for introducing air into and removing air from each of them.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
37 words
An apparatus according to claim 13, said upper and spacing balloon portions forming a common cavity and said means for introducing fluid comprising a single fluid tube for introducing air into and removing air from the cavity.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
27 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, said elongated hollow tube being curved to pass from the pelvic cavity out through the vaginal opening of a female patient.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
184 words
An apparatus for treating carcinoma in the walls and floor of the female pelvic cavity comprising: an elongated tube having a closed inner end adapted to be located in the pelvic cavity, the tube adapted to extend through the vaginal passage to an open outer end located outside of the body, means for locating radioactive material in the tube in the vicinity of said inner end by passing the radioactive material into the tube through the open outer end thereof, positioning means including at least one inflatable balloon attached to and surrounding the exterior of the tube in the vicinity of the inner end thereof, said balloon, when inflated, spacing the walls and floor of the pelvic cavity from the radioactive material to position the radioactive material a generally uniform distance from all wall and floor surfaces subject to the radiation, while the tube extends through the vaginal passage, and means for introducing fluid into the inflatable balloon to expand the same and for removing fluid from the inflatable balloon to collapse the same to permit removal of The apparatus through the vaginal passage.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
184 words
An apparatus for treating carcinoma in the walls and floor of the female pelvic cavity comprising: an elongated tube having a closed inner end adapted to be located in the pelvic cavity, the tube adapted to extend through the vaginal passage to an open outer end located outside of the body, means for locating radioactive material in the tube in the vicinity of said inner end by passing the radioactive material into the tube through the open outer end thereof, positioning means including at least one inflatable balloon attached to and surrounding the exterior of the tube in the vicinity of the inner end thereof, said balloon, when inflated, spacing the walls and floor of the pelvic cavity from the radioactive material to position the radioactive material a generally uniform distance from all wall and floor surfaces subject to the radiation, while the tube extends through the vaginal passage, and means for introducing fluid into the inflatable balloon to expand the same and for removing fluid from the inflatable balloon to collapse the same to permit removal of The apparatus through the vaginal passage.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
18 words
An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the balloon is of a material which is flexible and non-stretchable.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
82 words
An apparatus according to claim 17, including a shielding balloon adjacent the inner end of the tube, means for introducing into and removing from said shielding balloon a flowable radioactive shielding material, said shielding balloon being expandable in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction of the elongated tube such that the shielding material in the shielding balloon extends transversely to shield the portion of the body of the patient beyond the said inner end of the tube from the radioactive material.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
54 words
An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said at least one balloon includes a spacing inflatable balloon portion encircling the side of the tube, said spacing balloon constructed such that when inflated, its surface all about the tube defines generally a portion of a sphere with the radioactive source material at the center thereof.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
48 words
An apparatus according to claim 17, said balloon including an upper portion, at least a part of which is located beyond the said inner end of the tube for spacing from the radioactive material the portion of the patients body beyond the said inner end of the tube.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
49 words
An apparatus according to claim 21, said upper portion being circular in a direction transverse to the tube axis and extending farther from the tube than the spacing balloon portion and defining with the spacing balloon portion a shoulder to assist in positioning the balloon in the pelvic cavity.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
36 words
An apparatus according to claim 22, said upper and spacing balloon portions being separate cavities and said means for introducing fluid comprising separate fluid tubes for introducing air into and removing air from each of them.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
37 words
An apparatus according to claim 22, said upper and spacing balloon portions forming a common cavity and said means for introducing fluid comprising a single fluid tube for introducing air into and removing air from the cavity.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
244 words
An apparatus for treating carcinoma of the walls and floor of the pelvic cavity of a female comprising, an elongated hollow tube having a closed inner end and an open outer end, said tube being curved to extend from said open outer end outside of the body through the vaginal passage to said closed inner end in the pelvic cavity, an upper inflatable balloon portion connected to the tube and located above the inner end of the tube to space the intestines from the pelvic cavity, a shielding inflatable balloon portion connected to the tube and located directly above the said inner end of the tube, means for introducing a radioactive material through the open outer end of the tube and therethrough to the inner end thereof while the inner end is located in the pelvic cavity, a spacing balloon portion connected to and surrounding the tube and having a surface which is spherical when inflated, said portion extending all around the tube to define, when expanded, a part of a sphere with the center thereof located at the location of the radioactive material at the said inner end of the tube to space the walls and floor of the pelvic cavity a certain distance from the radioactive material, and separate tubes for introducing fluid into and removing fluid from each of the upper and spacing balloon portions and said shielding balloon portion, each of said separate tubes extending alongside the said elongated tube.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
244 words
An apparatus for treating carcinoma of the walls and floor of the pelvic cavity of a female comprising, an elongated hollow tube having a closed inner end and an open outer end, said tube being curved to extend from said open outer end outside of the body through the vaginal passage to said closed inner end in the pelvic cavity, an upper inflatable balloon portion connected to the tube and located above the inner end of the tube to space the intestines from the pelvic cavity, a shielding inflatable balloon portion connected to the tube and located directly above the said inner end of the tube, means for introducing a radioactive material through the open outer end of the tube and therethrough to the inner end thereof while the inner end is located in the pelvic cavity, a spacing balloon portion connected to and surrounding the tube and having a surface which is spherical when inflated, said portion extending all around the tube to define, when expanded, a part of a sphere with the center thereof located at the location of the radioactive material at the said inner end of the tube to space the walls and floor of the pelvic cavity a certain distance from the radioactive material, and separate tubes for introducing fluid into and removing fluid from each of the upper and spacing balloon portions and said shielding balloon portion, each of said separate tubes extending alongside the said elongated tube.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-03-24 | 1978-09-23 | 1979-03-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-03-24 | 1982-09-23 | 1983-03-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-03-24 | 1986-09-23 | 1987-03-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |