Systems and methods are provided for treating cervical and/or uterine cancers in brachytherapy with an intracavitary brachytherapy applicator. The system comprises a tandem adapted for insertion into a cervix of a patient. An ovoid assembly comprises first and second inflatable ovoids and an ovoid support mechanism. The first and second inflatable ovoids are adapted for insertion within fornices of a patient. First and second retractors are adapted to be coupled to the ovoid assembly. The first retractor is adapted to be positioned to retract the bladder of a patient during treatment. The second retractor is adapted to be positioned to retract the rectum of a patient during treatment. The tandem and the first and second inflatable ovoids are adapted to be coupled to a radioactive source to deliver an implant radiation dose suitable for cancer treatment at a cancerous cervical treatment site in a patient.

Disclosed are steerable needles having a shaft that can be controllably buckled, a steering head positioned at a distal end of the shaft, a transmission for controlling the orientation of the steering head, and a base at the end of the shaft, the base optionally comprising a controller for controlling the transmission. Also disclosed are methods of using the disclosed steerable needles.

A method for treating a tumor, comprising identifying a tumor as a melanoma tumor and implanting in the tumor identified as a melanoma tumor, as least one diffusing alpha-emitter radiation therapy (DaRT) source (21) with a suitable radon release rate and for a given duration, such that the source (21) provides during the given duration a cumulated activity of released radon between 3.2 Mega becquerel (MBq) hour and 7.5 MBq hour, per centimeter length.

A method for treating a tumor, comprising identifying a tumor as a pancreatic cancer tumor and implanting in the tumor identified as a pancreatic cancer tumor, as least one diffusing alpha-emitter radiation therapy (DaRT) source (21) with a suitable radon release rate and for a given duration, such that the source (21) provides during the given duration a cumulated activity of released radon between 5.6 Mega becquerel (MBq) hour and 11.6 MBq hour, per centimeter length.

The invention relates to the radiation treatment of colorectal cancerous tissue in the rectum of a human or animal subject. In particular the invention relates to an endorectal probe device for effecting radiation treatment of colorectal cancerous tissue in the rectum of a human or animal subject. Furthermore the invention relates to an afterloading apparatus for effecting radiation treatment of colorectal cancerous tissue in the rectum of a human or animal subject using an endorectal probe device according to the invention. Moreover the invention relates to a method for effecting radiation treatment of colorectal cancerous tissue in the rectum of a human or animal subject, wherein the method implements the endorectal probe device according to the invention.

A surgical instrument navigation system and method of use is provided that visually simulates a virtual volumetric scene of a body cavity of a patient from a point of view of a surgical instrument residing in the cavity of the patient, wherein the surgical instrument, as provided, may be a steerable surgical catheter with a biopsy device and/or a surgical catheter with a side-exiting medical instrument, among others. Additionally, systems, methods and devices are provided for forming a respiratory-gated point cloud of a patient's respiratory system and for placing a localization element in an organ of a patient.

A brachytherapy needle guidance device is a device that facilitates the placement of a brachytherapy needle into a treatment region in tissue. This tissue may a breast tissue and the brachytherapy needle may be a fiducial needle. The brachytherapy needle guidance device may have an anchoring feature that anchors the brachytherapy needle guidance device into the tissue once it is properly positioned. The brachytherapy needle guidance device is used by software for treatment planning.

An intervention system employing an interventional device (10), and a sensor wire (20) manually translatable within the lumen (11). The intervention system further employs a reconstruction controller (44) for reconstructing a shape of the interventional tool (10) responsive to a sensing of a manual translation of the sensor wire (20) within the lumen (11) (e.g., a EM sensor being attached to/embedded within a guide wire), and for determining a reconstruction accuracy of a translation velocity of the sensor wire (20) within the lumen (11) to thereby facilitate an accurate reconstruction of the shape of the interventional tool (10). The reconstruction accuracy may be determined by the reconstruction controller (44) as an acceptable translation velocity being less than an acceptable threshold, an unacceptable translation velocity being greater than an unacceptable threshold, and/or a borderline translation velocity being greater than the acceptable threshold and less than the unacceptable threshold. The reconstruction controller (44) generates an acceptability indicator that may be visualizing or audibly communicated via a user interface (48).

A portable device for insertion of radioactive seeds in percutaneous interstitial brachytherapy applications is described. The device includes: an elongated main body in form of a handpiece; a shielded container of radioactive seeds, received within the main body and having a rotating drum suitable, in use, to release one or more radioactive seeds from the container; means for driving the rotating drum, activatable by an operator and based on lever mechanisms and gears; and means for introducing one or more radioactive seeds in a body site of interest, comprising a substantially wire-shaped pusher. The pusher urges the radioactive seed(s) released from the rotating drum through a cannula unit.

An end effector for a surgical fastening device is provided. The end effector includes a body defining a longitudinal axis, one or more fasteners, an anvil, and a pusher. Each fastener has an unformed configuration and a formed configuration. Each fastener includes first and second arms that extend in opposite directions. The first arm has first and second elbow segments. The first elbow segment is configured to bend as the fastener is formed. The second elbow segment is configured to remain unbent as the fastener is formed. The pusher is configured to advance the fastener distally through the body and into engagement with the anvil to form the fastener against the anvil.