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:
Feb. 14, 2012
Filed:
Jun. 04, 2007
Paul A. Lovoi, Saratoga, CA (US);
Paul A. Lovoi, Saratoga, CA (US);
Xoft, Inc., Freemont, CA (US);
Abstract
In brachytherapy radiation treatment, particularly on the breast following a tumor resection, adequate skin to balloon distance must be maintained, to avoid damage to the skin. Often the distance is too small in certain areas or at a single point. The disclosed procedures and devices are effective to manipulate the skin-to-balloon distance to increase that distance when necessary, using vacuum, friction or other means to grip, move and 'bunch' the breast tissue from regions of larger balloon-skin distance to regions with inadequate balloon-skin distance. The apparatus can include a ring or ring shaped array that fits around the breast, larger than the balloon, a circular vacuum device, or a cup which is pushed over the breast to move tissue toward a thin tissue region. In many cases only a few millimeters of added distance are needed to meet minimum requirements so that the radiation procedure can commence.