Minimally invasive medical device for providing a radiation treatment

United States Patent w

Roubin et al.

[54] MINIMALLY INVASIVE MEDICAL DEVICE FOR PROVIDING A RADIATION TREATMENT

[75] Inventors: Gareth S. S. Roubin, Birmingham, Ala.; Neal E. Fearnot, West Lafayette, Ind.

[73] Assignee: MED Institute, Inc., West Lafayette, Ind.

[21] Appl. No.: 647,280
[22] Filed: Jan. 29,1991

[51] Int. C1.5 A61M 36/12

[52] U.S. Q 600/7; 600/3;

128/658

[58] Field of Search 600/3, 7; 128/653.1,

128/654, 657, 659, 772; 604/164, 282;

250/496.1,497.1

[56] References Cited

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2,546,761 3/1951 Loftus .

4,244,357 1/1981 Morrison .

4,554,929 11/1985 Samson et al 128/772

4,819,618 4/1989 Liprie 600/3

5,001,825 3/1991 Halpern 128/772

5,135,503 8/1992 Abrams 604/164

5,213,561 5/1993 Weinstein et al 600/7

FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS

2348715 11/1977 France .

2203650 10/1988 United Kingdom 128/772

OTHER PUBLICATIONS "Wire Guides", Cook Diagnostic Interventional Products

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US005354257A

[ii] Patent Number: 5,354,257 [45] Date of Patent: Oct. 11, 1994

for Radiology, Cardiology and Surgery, Cook Incorporated, Bloomington, Indiana, 1986, pp. 3, 6, and 18.

Primary Examiner—Randall L. Green

Assistant Examiner—P. Zuttarelli

Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Richard J. Godlewski

[57] ABSTRACT

A minimally invasive intravascular medical device for providing a radiation treatment in a body passageway such as a coronary vessel of the vascular system. The device includes a flexible elongated member having distal and proximal portions. The distal portion is percutaneously insertable into a vessel and includes a distal end that is directable through the vessel to the treatment site. A radiation source is attached about the distal portion for delivering a radiation treatment to the walls a vessel having a stent positioned thereagainst. The distal portion of the elongated member includes a wire coil positioned about the tapered distal end of a mandril wire. The combination of the wire coil and the tapered distal end of the mandril wire provides variable flexibility to the distal portion of the device. The distal portion also has a predetermined curvature for directing the distal end of the device through the vessel. A safety wire is also extendable through the passageway of the wire coil to provide further flexibility to the distal portion. The radiation source is fixedly positioned about either the tapered distal end of the mandril wire or the safety wire in the passageway of the wire coil. An annular recess is included about the tapered distal end of the mandril wire to fixedly position a source of radioactive material therein.

14 Claims, 3 Drawing Sheets