US4427005A — Apparatus and method for treating breast tumors

Claim 1

Independent Claim 173 words

A method of treating breast tumors comprising the steps of placing a control mark on the patient's skin to denote the center of the field to be treated, forming a shell with a part conforming to a portion of the patient's breast encompassing said mark and placing a reference mark on said part, placing said shell part on the patient's breast in a position to have said reference mark coincident with said control mark, mounting said shell to the bridge of a template, said template having a pair of spaced-apart template blocks depending from said bridge and with pre-drilled needle holes therein which are aligned in said two blocks, orienting said template relative to said shell for desired needle placement through the breast by passage through the needle holes while maintaining said control and reference marks coincident, fixing the position of the shell relative to the template with the template above the breast, passing the desired needles through said needle holes, and thereafter substituting tubing for the needles which tubing receives radioactive seeds.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 173 words

A method of treating breast tumors comprising the steps of placing a control mark on the patient's skin to denote the center of the field to be treated, forming a shell with a part conforming to a portion of the patient's breast encompassing said mark and placing a reference mark on said part, placing said shell part on the patient's breast in a position to have said reference mark coincident with said control mark, mounting said shell to the bridge of a template, said template having a pair of spaced-apart template blocks depending from said bridge and with pre-drilled needle holes therein which are aligned in said two blocks, orienting said template relative to said shell for desired needle placement through the breast by passage through the needle holes while maintaining said control and reference marks coincident, fixing the position of the shell relative to the template with the template above the breast, passing the desired needles through said needle holes, and thereafter substituting tubing for the needles which tubing receives radioactive seeds.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 47 words

A method as defined in claim 1 wherein said shell is of formable plastic and said part is formed by the steps of: forming a mold of said breast portion, forming a model of said breast portion from said mold, and shaping said plastic to said model.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 58 words

A method as defined in claim 2 wherein said shell plastic is transparent and the control mark is made by a transferable ink which transfers to said mold and which is re-inked for transfer to said model, said transfer mark being applied to the shell part by viewing through the shell the mark as appearing on the model.

Claim 5

Independent Claim 118 words

A method of placing needles preparatory to treatment of breast tumors comprising the steps of formin a shell to conform to a portion of the patient's breast, placing said shell on the patient's breast in a predetermined position, associating said shell with the bridge of a template, said template having a pair of spaced-apart template blocks depending from said bridge and with pre-drilled needle holes therein which are aligned in said two blocks, orienting said template relative to said shell for desired needle placement through the breast by passage through the needle holes, fixing the position of the shell relative to the template with the template above the breast, and passing the desired needles through said needle holes.

Claim 6

Independent Claim 118 words

A method of placing needles preparatory to treatment of breast tumors comprising the steps of formin a shell to conform to a portion of the patient's breast, placing said shell on the patient's breast in a predetermined position, associating said shell with the bridge of a template, said template having a pair of spaced-apart template blocks depending from said bridge and with pre-drilled needle holes therein which are aligned in said two blocks, orienting said template relative to said shell for desired needle placement through the breast by passage through the needle holes, fixing the position of the shell relative to the template with the template above the breast, and passing the desired needles through said needle holes.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 157 words

Structure for accurate placement of a plurality of needles in a patient's breast comprising, a template having a pair of template blocks, each of the template blocks having a plurality of pre-drilled needle holes arranged in the same pattern in each template block, and a template bridge adjustably connected to the top of each of said template blocks to hold said template blocks in spaced-apart relation with said needle holes of the two template blocks in alignment whereby said template bridge may overlie the patient's breast with the template blocks positioned one at each side of the portion of the breast to be treated, and said template is adapted to be located relative to the patient's breast by a shell having a part shaped to conform to a portion of the patient's breast, means for adjustably mounting said shell to the template bridge, and means for securely locking the shell to the template bridge in adjusted position.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 157 words

Structure for accurate placement of a plurality of needles in a patient's breast comprising, a template having a pair of template blocks, each of the template blocks having a plurality of pre-drilled needle holes arranged in the same pattern in each template block, and a template bridge adjustably connected to the top of each of said template blocks to hold said template blocks in spaced-apart relation with said needle holes of the two template blocks in alignment whereby said template bridge may overlie the patient's breast with the template blocks positioned one at each side of the portion of the breast to be treated, and said template is adapted to be located relative to the patient's breast by a shell having a part shaped to conform to a portion of the patient's breast, means for adjustably mounting said shell to the template bridge, and means for securely locking the shell to the template bridge in adjusted position.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 52 words

A structure as defined in claim 5 wherein said template blocks have exposed bolts at the tops thereof which are partially embedded in said blocks, said template bridge having elongate slots to adjustably receive said bolts, and wing nuts threadable on said bolts for locking the template blocks to the template bridge.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 30 words

A structure as defined in claim 6 wherein said template bridge and template blocks are of transparent material and include sight lines thereon to facilitate alignment of said template blocks.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 24 words

A structure as defined in claim 5 wherein said shell is made of a formable plastic which can be formed into said conforming shape.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 59 words

A structure as defined in claim 5 wherein said adjustable means for mounting the shell is a threaded member depending from the template bridge at the middle thereof, and said locking means are a nut threaded on the threaded member and a plurality of thumb set screws threaded in the template bridge and extending therebeneath to engage said shell.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1987-01-23	1987-07-25	1988-01-24	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1991-01-23	1991-07-25	1992-01-24	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1995-01-23	1995-07-25	1996-01-24	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Apparatus and method for treating breast tumors

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