A device for loading brachytherapy seeds and spacers into a sleeve. The device holds two or more seed or spacer cartridges of different radioactive species and dosage. The user rotates a selector for selecting a desired cartridge and, with each depression of a spring-biased plunger, pushes a seed or spacer into a channel in an inspection area. The process is repeated for the desired number and order of seeds and spacers in sequence to form a strand. The strand can be seen in the channel with the unaided eye through a transparent window. The window is part of a hinged door that can be opened and the sequence of the seeds and spacers rearranged with forceps. Once the strand is arranged as desired, it is pushed into a sleeve in a removable sleeve holder. During radiation treatment, the filled sleeve is removed from the sleeve holder and implanted into patient.

Featured is a robot and a needle delivery apparatus. Such a robot comprises a plurality of actuators coupled to control locating any of number of intervention specific medical devices such as intervention specific needle injectors. Such a robot is usable with image guided interventions using any of a number of types of medical imaging devices or apparatuses including MRI. The end-effector can include an automated low needle delivery apparatus that is configured for dose radiation seed brachytherapy injection. Also featured is an automated seed magazine for delivering seeds to such an needle delivery apparatus adapted for brachytherapy seed injection.

A device for loading brachytherapy seeds and spacers into a sleeve. The device holds two or more seed or spacer cartridges of different radioactive species and dosage. The user rotates a selector for selecting a desired cartridge and, with each depression of a spring-biased plunger, pushes a seed or spacer into a channel in an inspection area. The process is repeated for the desired number and order of seeds and spacers in sequence to form a strand. The strand can be seen in the channel with the unaided eye through a transparent window. The window is part of a hinged door that can be opened and the sequence of the seeds and spacers rearranged with forceps. Once the strand is arranged as desired, it is pushed into a sleeve in a removable sleeve holder. During radiation treatment, the filled sleeve is removed from the sleeve holder and implanted into patient.

This invention is a medicament delivery vehicle, the vehicle comprising tubular members adapted to removably receive the medicament and an expandable stent adapted to receive the tubular members. Also provided is a medicament delivery vehicle, the vehicle comprised of tubular members which receive the medicament wherein the medicament comprises discrete entities and each of said entities are removably positioned at predetermined regions within the members.

A method of stapling tissue includes clamping tissue between a cartridge assembly and an anvil assembly of a loading unit, firing the loading unit such that the fasteners secured in the cartridge assembly pass through a body portion of a first buttress that is positioned between the clamped tissue and one of the cartridge assembly or the anvil assembly, trimming a first portion of the first buttress that is adjacent a first edge of the tissue, and removing the first portion of the first buttress from a surgical site. The first buttress capturing fasteners that are fired from a portion of the cartridge assembly which extends beyond the tissue. The first portion of the first buttress including at least one remnant fastener.

A vascular inhibitor for use as a medicament for treatment of a tumor of a patient wherein the administration pattern of the medicament comprises administering a therapeutically effective amount of the vascular inhibitor to the patient, in one or more sessions, and implanting seeds (204) carrying radium-224 in the tumor for intra-tumoral alpha-emitter radiotherapy less than two weeks from administering the vascular inhibitor.

An apparatus and method for loading brachytherapy carriers with radioactive seeds in order to implement brachytherapy treatment protocols with more precise and predictable dosimetry. These apparatuses and methods enable a medical team to create a radionuclide carrier for each patient and tumor reliably, reproducibly and efficiently.

The invention relates to a delivery assistance device for assisting in a brachytherapy procedure. The invention provides for an output of an optimized treatment plan, taking into considering the portions of the procedure already carried out. The invention provides for an update of the sequence and the dosing after, for example, each needle insertion. The sequence of the treatment plan is determined such that, for example, steps of the procedure in which an error may have a larger impact, which needs to be corrected by modifying later steps, are provided earlier than steps in which an error is less likely and/or may have a lesser impact.

A surgical buttress for use in a surgical stapling apparatus is provided. The surgical buttress includes an elongate rectangular body portion defining a width; a nose portion integrally formed with and extending from a distal end of the body portion, the nose portion defining a width that is less than the width of the body portion; a neck portion integrally formed with and extending from a distal end of the nose portion, the neck portion defining a width; a head portion integrally formed with and connected to a distal end of the neck portion, the head portion defining a width; and a tail portion integrally formed with and extending from a proximal end of the body portion, the tail portion defining a width that is less than the width of the body portion. The surgical buttress is formed from a material having filaments. The surgical buttress include radioactive material.

A fastener applicator includes a body portion including a handle assembly, a cartridge assembly supported within the body portion, the cartridge assembly including implantable fasteners, a drive assembly supported within the body portion and operatively coupled to the cartridge assembly to engage the implantable fasteners, and an actuation assembly supported within the handle assembly and operatively coupled to the drive assembly to fire a distal-most implantable fastener upon actuation of the actuation assembly. At least one of the implantable fasteners includes a body including a tissue facing surface, a tissue penetrating portion extending from the body, and a capsule affixed to the tissue facing surface of the body, the capsule including radioactive material.