The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 09, 2002
Filed:
Nov. 12, 1999
Nicholas C. deBeer, San Francisco, CA (US);
Vascular Architects, Inc., San Jose, CA (US);
Abstract
A medical irradiation assembly ( ) and method provides the target tissue ( ) of a vessel ( ) with a controlled dose of radiation in a simple, safe and effective manner. A catheter shaft ( ) has a balloon ( ) at its distal end ( ) and a continuous loop, circumferentially-extending radiation source ( ) configured to be expansible within the balloon and to be axially translated along and in contact with the inside surface ( ) of the balloon by a pull wire ( ). Proximal and distal radiation shields ( ) are used to house the radiation source, which may be a &bgr; source, before and after use. The continuous-loop radiation source stays in contact with the inside surface of the balloon so that the radiation source remains a constant distance, typically the thickness of the balloon, from the target tissue and irradiates the target tissue uniformly.