Balloon catheter
By designing the external catheter, balloon, and internal catheter structure of the balloon catheter, and utilizing the drive unit and stop to move the catheter while the balloon is inflated and fixed, the uncertainty and positional changes caused by the catheter during radiotherapy are solved, thus improving the accuracy and effectiveness of treatment.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- RADEXEL INC
- Filing Date
- 2025-03-11
- Publication Date
- 2026-04-24
AI Technical Summary
In radiotherapy, the catheter inside the balloon causes uncertainty in radiation dose distribution, particle beam interference, and reduced efficacy of magnetically controlled radiotherapy. At the same time, changes in balloon position and the problem of getting stuck affect the accuracy of treatment.
A balloon catheter was designed, including an external catheter, a balloon, an internal catheter, and a drive unit. When the balloon is inflated and the lesion tissue is fixed, the drive unit moves the internal catheter in a second direction to expel the lesion. A stop element is used to limit the range of catheter movement and ensure the stability of the balloon position.
When fixing diseased tissue with a balloon, the internal catheter can be accurately removed, improving the accuracy of radiotherapy, reducing the impact of radiation on surrounding tissues, and enhancing the treatment effect.
Smart Images

Figure CN121911031A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention relates to a balloon catheter. Background Technology
[0002] Radiation therapy is a treatment that uses radiation, such as X-rays, gamma rays, electron beams, or proton beams, to irradiate a lesion in a living body in order to slow down or destroy the growth of the diseased tissue. Here, the diseased tissue can be cancer, etc.
[0003] During radiation therapy, the distribution of radiation dose can vary depending on the density of the medium along the path of the radiation beam through the living body. Specifically, when there are two media with different densities along the path of radiation through the living body, the distribution of radiation dose at the boundary between these two media may vary more than in other parts.
[0004] During radiotherapy, to reduce the radiation impact on surrounding tissues of a living lesion, a balloon can be inserted into the body cavity surrounding the lesion (hereinafter referred to as the "target site") to fix the lesion and the target site. Here, the balloon can be inserted into the target site via an internal catheter (or guidewire). Specifically, this can be done by inserting a balloon containing an internal catheter (e.g., after inserting the internal catheter inside the balloon) and the internal catheter into the target site. In this case, the internal catheter present inside the balloon causes the following problems.
[0005] First, the internal catheter located inside the balloon cannot reduce the internal density of the balloon below a predetermined level. For reference, increasing the internal density of the balloon is simply a matter of injecting a high-density substance into the balloon, and is therefore easily achievable.
[0006] Furthermore, the internal catheter located inside the balloon can induce interference with the particle beam when using particles such as electrons, protons, and carbon ions for radiation therapy, thereby altering the arrival location of the particle beam.
[0007] Furthermore, the position of the internal catheter inside the balloon changes, leading to uncertainty in the radiation dose distribution inside and around the balloon.
[0008] Furthermore, when the internal catheter inside the balloon is used for radiation therapy such as X-rays, in cases of magnetically controlled radiation therapy (MCRT), which uses a magnetic field to control the path of radiation, secondary electrons are generated inside the balloon, thereby reducing the effectiveness of radiation dose control.
[0009] Therefore, it is necessary to expel the internal catheter inside the balloon while it is inserted into the target site on the living organism. The common method for expelling the internal catheter at this time is to remove it from inside the balloon without inflating it. However, this method has the following problems.
[0010] First, there is a problem: when the balloon is inserted into the target site of the living body and the internal catheter is expelled from the inside of the balloon, the position of the balloon changes due to forces in multiple directions caused by the internal organs and muscles inside the living body.
[0011] Furthermore, the following problem occurs: when there is pressure inside the living organism, the balloon may become stuck inside the internal catheter the instant it is expelled from the balloon while it is inserted into the target site of the living organism.
[0012] In radiotherapy, it is crucial to maintain the balloon at the target site in the living body. Therefore, existing methods of draining the internal catheter from inside the balloon when it is not inflated are difficult to apply due to changes in balloon position, rendering balloons capable of draining internal catheters unusable during radiotherapy.
[0013] [Existing Technical Documents] [Patent Documents] Patent document 1: Korean Patent No. 10-2013-0009445 (January 23, 2013). Summary of the Invention
[0014] The present invention is proposed to solve the above-mentioned problems. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a balloon catheter that, while the balloon is inflated and the lesion tissue and target site of a living organism are fixed, can discharge the internal catheter inserted into the balloon, thereby improving the accuracy of radiotherapy targeting the lesion tissue and target site of a living organism.
[0015] The technical problems to be solved by this invention are not limited to those mentioned above. Those skilled in the art can clearly understand other technical problems not mentioned from the following description.
[0016] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a balloon catheter includes: an external catheter; a balloon connected to one side of the external catheter, capable of inflating or deflating and being inserted into a target site of a living body; an internal catheter, one side of which is inserted into the interior of the balloon and the other side of which extends through the interior of the external catheter, and capable of moving along a first direction of insertion into the balloon or a second direction of discharge from the balloon; and a drive unit, which, when the balloon is inflated and fixed to the target site of the living body, causes the internal catheter inserted into the balloon to move along the second direction and be discharged.
[0017] Furthermore, the external catheter may include: a connecting portion that connects to the outer periphery of the internal catheter; a telescopic portion that connects to the connecting portion and is telescopic; and a guide portion that connects to the telescopic portion to guide the movement of the internal catheter, wherein the balloon may be connected to the guide portion.
[0018] The telescopic part may have a bellows shape.
[0019] The balloon catheter may further include a first stop that limits the range of movement of the internal catheter in the second direction.
[0020] The first stop may include: a groove formed in the outer conduit; and a hook formed in the inner conduit, which engages with the groove when the inner conduit moves in the second direction.
[0021] The balloon catheter may further include a second stop that limits the range of movement of the internal catheter in the first direction and the range of movement in the second direction.
[0022] The second stop may include: two snap-fit protrusions engaged with the outer periphery of the outer conduit in a spaced manner along the movement direction of the inner conduit; and a movable protrusion engaged with the outer periphery of the inner conduit and disposed between the two snap-fit protrusions.
[0023] The drive unit may include an actuator that moves the internal conduit along the second direction.
[0024] The drive unit may include a fluid supply unit that injects fluid into the balloon, causing the internal catheter to move along the second direction by means of the fluid injected into the balloon.
[0025] The balloon catheter may further include a third stop, detachably fixed to the internal catheter to limit the range of movement of the internal catheter in the first direction.
[0026] The third stop can have a U-shape.
[0027] Other specific aspects of the invention are included in the detailed description and accompanying drawings.
[0028] The balloon catheter according to an embodiment of the present invention has the following effect: when the balloon is inflated and the lesion tissue and target site of the living body are fixed, the internal catheter inserted into the balloon can be discharged, thereby improving the accuracy of radiotherapy on the lesion tissue and target site of the living body.
[0029] The effects of the present invention are not limited to those mentioned above, and those skilled in the art will clearly understand other effects not mentioned through the following description. Attached Figure Description
[0030] Figure 1 This is a cross-sectional view of a balloon catheter according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0031] Figure 2 It is shown Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of the balloon inflated.
[0032] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view showing the first stop of the balloon catheter according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0033] Figure 4 It is shown Figure 3 A cross-sectional view of the balloon inflated.
[0034] Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional view showing the second stop of the balloon catheter according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0035] Figure 6 It is shown Figure 5 A cross-sectional view of the balloon inflated.
[0036] Figures 7 to 10 This is a cross-sectional view illustrating the operation of a balloon catheter according to another embodiment of the present invention.
[0037] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram showing the state in which the balloon of a balloon catheter according to an embodiment of the present invention is fixed to a target site in a living body.
[0038] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram showing the state of a balloon catheter fixed to a target site in a living organism.
[0039] Figure 13 This is a cross-sectional view illustrating the process of using a balloon catheter according to an embodiment of the present invention to perform radiotherapy on a target site of a living organism.
[0040] Figure 14 This is a cross-sectional view showing the process of using an existing balloon catheter to perform radiation therapy on a target site in a living organism.
[0041] Figure 15 This is a cross-sectional view illustrating the process of performing MCRT on a target site in a living organism using a balloon catheter according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0042] Figure 16This is a cross-sectional view illustrating the process of performing MCRT on a target site in a living organism using a balloon catheter according to an existing embodiment.
[0043] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures Detailed Implementation
[0044] The advantages, features, and methods for implementing the invention will be readily understood by referring to the embodiments described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below, which can be implemented in various different forms. These embodiments are provided merely to complete the disclosure of the invention and to fully inform those skilled in the art of the scope of the invention, which is defined only by the scope of the claims.
[0045] The terminology used in this specification is for illustrative purposes and not intended to limit the invention. In this specification, singular forms include plural forms unless otherwise specified in the text. The terms "comprises" and / or "comprising" as used in the specification do not exclude the presence or addition of more than one of the mentioned constituent elements. Throughout the specification, the same reference numerals refer to the same constituent element, and "and / or" includes each of the mentioned constituent elements and all combinations thereof. Although "first," "second," etc., are used to describe multiple constituent elements, these constituent elements are obviously not limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one constituent element from other constituent elements. Therefore, the first constituent element mentioned below can obviously be a second constituent element within the technical concept of the present invention.
[0046] Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used in this specification may be used in the sense that would be commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. Furthermore, terms defined in commonly used dictionaries should not be interpreted ideally or excessively unless otherwise explicitly and specifically defined.
[0047] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0048] Figure 1 This is a cross-sectional view showing a balloon catheter according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 It is shown Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of the balloon inflated.
[0049] like Figure 1 As shown, a balloon catheter according to an embodiment of the present invention may include an outer catheter 100, a balloon 200, an inner catheter 300, and a drive unit.
[0050] The external catheter 100 serves as the basic body of the present invention. Both sides of this external catheter 100 can be open. One side of the external catheter 100 can be connected via a balloon 200. Furthermore, the interior of the external catheter 100 can be penetrated by an internal catheter 300. A handle 110 for gripping the external catheter 100 can be formed on the other side of the external catheter 100. Here, the center of the handle 110 can have a smaller outer diameter than the sides of the handle 110; in other words, the sides of the handle 110 can have a multi-segment shape protruding relative to the center of the handle 110. Therefore, the sides of the handle 110 can prevent the practitioner's hand, gripping the center of the handle 110, from slipping away along the length of the handle 110.
[0051] As an example, the outer diameter of the external conduit 100 may be from 10 mm to 30 mm, but the present invention is not limited thereto. As another example, the length of the external conduit 100 may be from 50 mm to 1000 mm, but the present invention is not limited thereto. As yet another example, the material of the external conduit 100 may include at least one of silicone, latex, polyurethane, polyisoprene, and polyvinyl chloride (PVC).
[0052] The external conduit 100 may include a connecting portion 120, a telescopic portion 130, and a guiding portion 140. Here, the guiding portion 140 may be located on one side of the external conduit 100, the connecting portion 120 may be located on the other side of the external conduit 100, and the telescopic portion 130 may be located between one side and the other side of the external conduit 100.
[0053] The junction 120 can engage with the outer periphery of the internal conduit 300. As an example, the junction 120 can have an annular shape.
[0054] The telescopic portion 130 can be connected to one side of the connecting portion 120 and can extend and retract along the moving direction of the internal conduit 300. As an example, the telescopic portion 130 can have a bellows shape.
[0055] The guide portion 140 can be connected to one side of the telescopic portion 130 to guide the movement of the internal catheter 300. As an example, the guide portion 140 can have an annular shape. In addition, a balloon 200 can be connected to one side of the guide portion 140.
[0056] The balloon 200 can be connected to one side of the external catheter 100, is inflatable or deflated, and can be inserted into a target site in a living organism. This balloon 200 inflates when inserted into the target site in a living organism, thereby securing it to the lesion tissue and the target site. As an example, the balloon 200 can be inflated by fluid injection. For reference, the target site in a living organism can be an internal space that can be inserted without dissecting the organism (e.g., one of the mouth, nasal cavity, pharynx, larynx, esophagus, stomach, duodenum, large intestine, or rectum), or an internal space that can be inserted through dissection (e.g., one of the thoracic cavity, abdominal cavity, or inside the skin), but the invention is not limited to these and can be applied to other tissues in a living organism. Furthermore, the lesion tissue can be cancerous tissue.
[0057] As an example, the material of the balloon 200 may include at least one of silicone, latex, polyurethane and polyisoprene.
[0058] One side of the internal catheter 300 is inserted into the interior of the balloon 200, and the other side extends through the interior of the external catheter 100. The internal catheter 300 can move along a first direction of insertion into the balloon 200 or a second direction of discharge from the balloon 200.
[0059] As an example, if the internal catheter 300 moves along the first direction of insertion into the balloon 200, one side of the internal catheter 300 can be inserted into the interior of the balloon 200. At this time, the side of the internal catheter 300 inserted into the balloon 200 can provide rigidity to the balloon 200 when the balloon 200 is inserted into the target site of the living organism, thereby overcoming the insertion resistance applied to the interior of the balloon 200. Subsequently, the balloon 200 inserted into the target site of the living organism can inflate and be fixed to the lesion tissue and target site. Then, the side of the internal catheter 300 inserted into the balloon 200 can be withdrawn from the interior of the balloon 200 by means of the drive unit.
[0060] As an example, an airtight valve 310 for the internal conduit can be provided on the other side of the internal conduit 300. This valve 310 can allow fluid supplied from the fluid supply unit to flow in and prevent the corresponding fluid from flowing out.
[0061] As an example, valve 310 may be constructed using at least one of a check valve, a stopcock, and a clamp.
[0062] As an example, the external catheter 100 or the internal catheter 300 can be secured around the target site on the living body to maintain the position of the balloon 200 at the target site on the living body.
[0063] With the balloon 200 inflated and fixed at the target site on the living body, the drive unit can move and discharge the internal catheter 300 inserted inside the balloon 200 in a second direction. This drive unit can be operated under the control of the processor.
[0064] The drive unit may include an actuator and a fluid supply unit.
[0065] The actuator can move the internal conduit 300 in a second direction. As an example, the actuator can move the internal conduit 300 in the second direction while the balloon 200 inserted into the target site of the living body is inflated and fixed, according to the control of the processor.
[0066] The fluid supply unit can inject fluid into the balloon 200, causing the internal conduit 300 to move in the second direction by the fluid injected into the balloon 200. Here, the diameter and material of the balloon 200 can be initially set such that the pressure required for initial inflation is greater than the pressure required for the internal conduit 300 to move in the second direction. Therefore, when the fluid supply unit injects fluid into the interior of the balloon 200, the gas filling the interior of the balloon 200 can push the internal conduit 300 to move in the second direction.
[0067] The fluid supply unit can inject fluid through the internal conduit 300 or the external conduit 100.
[0068] The following describes the process of inserting and fixing a balloon catheter to a target site in a living body according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0069] First, the internal catheter 300, which runs through the external catheter 100, moves in a first direction and is inserted into the interior of the balloon 200.
[0070] Subsequently, the balloon 200 is inserted into the target site of the living organism. At this time, one side of the internal catheter 300 inserted into the balloon 200 can provide rigidity to the balloon 200 when the balloon 200 is inserted into the target site of the living organism, thereby overcoming the insertion resistance applied to the inside of the balloon 200.
[0071] Next, the balloon 200 is inflated and fixed to the lesion and target site in a living organism. At this point, the balloon 200 can be inflated by fluid injection. For example, fluid injection into the balloon 200 can be achieved through the fluid supply section of the drive unit.
[0072] Subsequently, the drive unit moves the internal conduit 300 in the second direction, causing one side of the internal conduit 300 to be discharged from the inside of the balloon 200.
[0073] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view showing the first stop of the balloon catheter according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4It is shown Figure 3 A cross-sectional view of the balloon inflated.
[0074] like Figure 3 As shown, with Figure 1 Unlike other examples, a balloon catheter according to an embodiment of the present invention may further include a first stop 500. In this example, the inner periphery of the outer catheter 100 may be in close contact with the outer periphery of the inner catheter 300. Therefore, air or fluid leakage between the outer catheter 100 and the inner catheter 300 can be prevented.
[0075] The first stop 500 can limit the range of movement of the internal conduit 300 in the second direction. This first stop 500 may include a hook groove 510 and a hook 520.
[0076] The groove 510 may be formed on one side of the external conduit 100. As an example, the groove 510 may be formed by recessing around the inner side of one side of the external conduit 100. In this case, the groove 510 may have an annular shape.
[0077] The hook 520 can be formed in the internal conduit 300, and when the internal conduit 300 moves in the second direction, the hook 520 can be engaged in the hook groove 510. For example, the hook 520 can have a shape corresponding to the hook groove 510.
[0078] In this example, when the internal conduit 300 moves in the second direction, the hook 520 can engage with the hook groove 510, thereby limiting the range of movement of the internal conduit 300 in the second direction (see reference). Figure 4 ).
[0079] Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional view showing the second stop of the balloon catheter according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 6 It is shown Figure 5 A cross-sectional view of the balloon inflated.
[0080] like Figure 5 As shown, with Figure 1 Unlike other examples, a balloon catheter according to an embodiment of the present invention may further include a second stop 600. In this example, the inner periphery of the outer catheter 100 may be in close contact with the outer periphery of the inner catheter 300. Therefore, air or fluid leakage between the outer catheter 100 and the inner catheter 300 can be prevented.
[0081] The second stop 600 can limit the range of movement of the internal conduit 300 in a first direction and in a second direction. This second stop 600 may include two engaging protrusions 610 and a movable protrusion 620.
[0082] Two snap-fit protrusions 610 may engage with the outer periphery of the outer conduit 100 in a spaced manner along the direction of movement of the inner conduit 300. As an example, the two snap-fit protrusions 610 may have a shape that protrudes perpendicularly to the outer periphery of the outer conduit 100.
[0083] The movable protrusion 620 engages with the outer periphery of the inner conduit 300 and may be positioned between the two snap-fit protrusions 610. As an example, the movable protrusion 620 may have a shape that projects perpendicularly to the outer periphery of the inner conduit 300.
[0084] In this example, when the internal conduit 300 moves in the first direction, the movable protrusion 620 can engage with the one of the two engaging protrusions 610 positioned closer to the external conduit 100, thereby limiting the range of movement of the internal conduit 300 in the first direction (see reference). Figure 6 ).
[0085] Furthermore, when the internal conduit 300 moves in the second direction, the movable protrusion 620 can engage with the one of the two engaging protrusions 610 that is positioned closer to the other side of the external conduit 100, thereby limiting the range of movement of the internal conduit 300 in the second direction (see reference). Figure 6 ).
[0086] Figures 7 to 10 This is a cross-sectional view illustrating the operation of a balloon catheter according to another embodiment of the present invention.
[0087] like Figure 7 As shown, a balloon catheter according to another embodiment of the present invention and Figure 1 Unlike other examples, the internal conduit 300 may have multiple lumens 320 and may include a third stop 700.
[0088] The third stop 700 can be detachably fixed to the inner conduit 300, thereby limiting the range of movement of the inner conduit 300 in the first direction (see reference). Figure 10 As an example, the third stop 700 may have a U-shape. This third stop 700 can be fixed around the outside of the internal catheter 300, which is in contact with the other side of the external catheter 100, while the internal catheter 300 is being discharged from the inside of the balloon 200 on one side, thereby limiting the range of movement of the internal catheter 300 in the first direction.
[0089] The process of inserting and fixing a balloon catheter to a target site in a living body according to another embodiment of the present invention will be described below.
[0090] First, the internal catheter 300, which runs through the external catheter 100, moves in a first direction and is inserted into the interior of the balloon 200 (see reference). Figure 8 ).
[0091] Subsequently, the balloon 200 is inserted into the target site of the living organism. At this time, one side of the internal catheter 300 inserted into the balloon 200 can provide rigidity to the balloon 200 when the balloon 200 is inserted into the target site of the living organism, thereby overcoming the insertion resistance applied to the inside of the balloon 200.
[0092] Next, the balloon 200 is inflated and fixed to the lesion and target site in the living organism. At this point, the balloon 200 can be inflated by fluid injection. For example, fluid injection of the balloon 200 can be achieved through the fluid supply unit of the drive section (see [reference]). Figure 9 ).
[0093] Subsequently, the drive unit moves the internal conduit 300 in the second direction, causing one side of the internal conduit 300 to exit from the interior of the balloon 200. Then, with one side of the internal conduit 300 exiting from the interior of the balloon 200, the third stop 700 can be fixed around the outer periphery of the internal conduit 300, which contacts the other side of the external conduit 100, thereby limiting the range of movement of the internal conduit 300 in the first direction (see reference). Figure 10 ).
[0094] As an example, radiation therapy can use one of the following: X-rays of 1 MeV or higher, electrons, protons, and carbon particles.
[0095] For reference, if a balloon 200 with a density greater or smaller than the target site within the living body exists, it may require more time to calculate the radiation dose for radiotherapy planning. Therefore, the balloon 200 can be configured with a predetermined shape and density to shorten the radiation dose calculation time. In this case, the shape of the balloon 200 can be configured as one of a sphere, hemisphere, ellipsoid, cylinder, or prism. Furthermore, the basic shape can be adjusted during the injection molding of the balloon 200, and the expansion shape can be adjusted by adjusting the thickness of each unit area of the balloon 200. Moreover, the internal density of the balloon 200 can be adjusted by regulating the composition of the material injected into the balloon 200.
[0096] As an example, a sensing module for measuring the volume and pressure of the balloon 200 may be provided in the external catheter 100 or the internal catheter 300. The sensing module can provide the operator with volume and pressure data of the balloon 200 for monitoring the volume and pressure of the balloon 200.
[0097] As an example, the internal temperature of the balloon 200 can be regulated by a fluid circulation device that circulates fluid injected into two or more lumens 320 of the internal catheter 300. In this case, the temperature of the balloon 200 can affect the therapeutic effect or side effects at the target site of the living organism in contact with the balloon 200; the higher the temperature of the balloon 200, the greater the radiation-induced effects and side effects, and the lower the temperature of the balloon 200, the smaller the radiation-induced effects and side effects.
[0098] As an example, the balloon 200 may be coated with a radiation-sensitive material that changes color upon irradiation. Therefore, when the balloon 200 is irradiated, its color changes, allowing calculation of the radiation dose received by and absorbed by the balloon 200. This, in turn, allows calculation of the radiation dose received by and absorbed by the target site of the living body in contact with the balloon 200. Furthermore, the color change of the balloon 200 can be confirmed in real time by inserting an endoscope into the target site of the living body, or by removing the balloon 200 from the target site of the living body after radiation therapy has concluded.
[0099] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the state in which the balloon of a balloon catheter according to an embodiment of the present invention is fixed to a target site in a living organism. Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram showing the state of a balloon catheter fixed to a target site in a living organism. Figure 13 This is a cross-sectional view illustrating the process of using a balloon catheter according to an embodiment of the present invention to perform radiotherapy on a target site in a living organism. Figure 14 This is a cross-sectional view showing the process of using an existing balloon catheter to perform radiation therapy on a target site in a living organism.
[0100] Reference Figure 11 In the case where the balloon 200 of the balloon catheter according to an embodiment of the present invention is fixed to the target site 2 of the living body, the internal catheter 300 is not present inside the balloon 200 fixed to the target site 2 of the living body. Therefore, it can be confirmed that during radiotherapy, the radiation R passing through the inside of the balloon 200 reaches the lesion tissue 1 (see reference 1) without being affected by the internal catheter 300. Figure 13 ).
[0101] Conversely, refer to Figure 12 It can be confirmed that, with the balloon 20 of the existing balloon catheter fixed to the target site 2 of the living organism, the internal catheter 30 exists inside the balloon 20 fixed to the target site 2 of the living organism. Therefore, it can be confirmed that, during radiotherapy, the radiation R passing through the inside of the balloon 200 reaches the lesion tissue 1 of the living organism (refer to...) under the influence of the internal catheter 300. Figure 14Therefore, existing technologies inevitably reduce the accuracy of radiotherapy.
[0102] Figure 15 This is a cross-sectional view illustrating the process of performing MCRT on a target site in a living organism using a balloon catheter according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 16 This is a cross-sectional view illustrating the process of performing MCRT on a target site in a living organism using a balloon catheter according to an existing embodiment.
[0103] Reference Figure 15 In a balloon catheter according to an embodiment of the present invention, there is no internal catheter 300 inside the balloon 200 fixed to the target site 2 of the living body. Therefore, when performing magnetically controlled radiation therapy (MCRT), where the path of radiation is controlled by a magnetic field, there is no internal catheter 300 in the path of the radiation passing through the inside of the balloon 200, thus preventing the generation of secondary electrons due to the influence of the internal catheter 300 on the radiation.
[0104] Conversely, in existing balloon catheters, an internal conduit 30 exists inside the balloon 200 fixed to the target site 2 of the living body. Therefore, during MCRT (Multiple-Induced Radiographic Testing) where the path of radiation is controlled using a magnetic field, the internal conduit 30 is present in the path of the radiation passing through the interior of the balloon 20, thus generating secondary electrons due to the influence of the internal conduit 30 on the radiation. Consequently, the prior art inevitably reduces the accuracy of controlling the radiation path via MCRT.
[0105] Therefore, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the balloon catheter, while the balloon is inflated and the lesion tissue and target site of the living organism are fixed, can discharge the internal catheter inserted into the balloon, thereby improving the accuracy of radiotherapy on the lesion tissue and target site of the living organism during radiotherapy.
[0106] The embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, those skilled in the art will understand that the invention can be implemented in other specific forms without altering the technical concept or essential features of the invention. Therefore, it should be understood that the embodiments described above are exemplary in all respects and not limiting.
Claims
1. A balloon catheter, comprising: External catheter; A balloon, connected to one side of the external catheter, is capable of inflating or deflating and being inserted into the target site in a living organism; An internal catheter, one side inserted into the interior of the balloon, and the other side extending through the interior of the external catheter, is movable along a first direction of insertion into the balloon or a second direction of discharge from the balloon; and The drive unit, while the balloon is inflated and fixed to the target site of the living body, moves the internal catheter inserted into the balloon along the second direction and discharges it.
2. The balloon catheter according to claim 1, wherein, The external catheter includes: The junction is joined to the outer periphery of the internal conduit; A telescopic part, connected to the connecting part and capable of telescopic movement; and A guide section, connected to the telescopic section, guides the movement of the internal conduit. The balloon is connected to the guide portion.
3. The balloon catheter according to claim 2, wherein, The telescopic part has a corrugated tube shape.
4. The balloon catheter according to claim 1, further comprising: The first stop restricts the range of movement of the internal conduit in the second direction.
5. The balloon catheter according to claim 4, wherein, The first stop includes: Hook grooves are formed in the external conduit; and A hook is formed in the internal conduit and engages in the hook groove when the internal conduit moves in the second direction.
6. The balloon catheter according to claim 1, further comprising: The second stop restricts the range of movement of the internal conduit in the first direction and the range of movement in the second direction.
7. The balloon catheter according to claim 6, wherein, The second stop includes: Two snap-fit protrusions engage with the outer periphery of the outer conduit in a spaced manner along the direction of movement of the inner conduit; and A movable protrusion is attached to the outer periphery of the internal conduit and positioned between the two snap-fit protrusions.
8. The balloon catheter according to claim 1, wherein, The drive unit includes: An actuator that moves the internal conduit in the second direction.
9. The balloon catheter according to claim 1, wherein, The drive unit includes: The fluid supply unit injects fluid into the balloon, causing the internal catheter to move in the second direction by means of the fluid injected into the balloon.
10. The balloon catheter according to claim 1, further comprising: A third stop is detachably fixed to the internal conduit to limit the range of movement of the internal conduit in the first direction.
11. The balloon catheter according to claim 10, wherein, The third stop has a U-shaped form.
Citation Information
Patent Citations
Rectal expansion apparatus for immobilization of prostate internal motion
KR1020130009445A