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Abstract

A composite source wire for use in treating malignant tumors within a patient's body by localized in vivo radiation with a radioactive source, via a catheter providing a path from a point external to the body to the tumor site. The source wire includes a thin continuous cylindrical flexible elongate stainless steel tube having encased therein a backbone wire running from its proximal end to a point short of its distal end to strengthen and enhance its flexibility, a cylindrical radioactive core adjacent to the distal end in abutting relation to the backbone wire, and a cylindrical plug at the distal end in abutting relation to the other end of the core, with the backbone wire, core and plug being tightly secured within the tube and the tube being securely enclosed about the plug with a tapered tip portion formed at that point. The source wire has an overall diameter sized to permit ease of movement through the catheter in advancement to the tumor site for the radiation treatment and to allow its retraction through the catheter from the point external to the body. The exterior surface of the tube is gold plated from its tip to the far end of the portion overlying the core. The source wire has an extremely small diameter (under 0.7 mm) and is sufficiently flexible that even in high radioactive dose sizes it is capable of passing through very narrow and even kinked catheters, making it useful for treating inoperable tumors such as common bile duct pancreatic cancer.

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First Claim