Inflatable Breast Fixation Device for Radiotherapy Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current breast immobilization techniques during radiotherapy in the supine position are inadequate, leading to poor setup accuracy, increased normal breast tissue dose, and severe side effects due to the lack of effective devices that can maintain breast tissue positioning and elongation, especially when patients are unable to tolerate the prone position.
Innovation Solution
A lightweight, inflatable breast fixation device formed from medical-grade polyethylene, featuring cylindrical or ring-shaped structures with inflation valves, which can be sequentially inflated to elongate and stabilize the breast tissue, allowing for optimal positioning and tilting, and finger-like grippers that grasp the breast to maintain it in a stable position.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the prone position is used for radiotherapy, then radiation dosimetry is improved and toxicities to normal organs are reduced, but patient tolerance decreases, setup time increases, and setup uncertainties increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention inverts the conventional approach by enabling supine position treatment (normally associated with poor dosimetry) to achieve prone-position-like dosimetric benefits through breast support devices that elevate and position the breast away from the chest wall, thereby reducing skin fold contact and normal tissue exposure while maintaining patient tolerance
2Ease of operation
If the supine position is used for radiotherapy, then patient tolerance is improved and setup time is reduced, but treatment accuracy decreases and normal tissue dose increases
Solution Approach 1:
The breast support device acts as an intermediary between the patient's breast tissue and the treatment table, providing mechanical support and positioning that eliminates the need for thermoplastic casts while achieving accurate and reproducible breast positioning in the supine position through inflatable structures that conform to breast anatomy
3Measurement precision
If thermoplastic casts are used for breast immobilization, then breast positioning is improved, but radiation skin dose increases and skin reactions worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the immobilization function from thermoplastic casts by using inflatable breast support devices that provide positioning without direct skin contact, thereby eliminating the harmful effect of increased skin dose while maintaining positioning accuracy through pneumatic support structures
4Measurement precision
If breast support devices are used to improve positioning accuracy, then treatment precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention employs dynamic inflatable structures that can be adjusted and deflated, providing complex positioning capabilities through simple pneumatic mechanisms rather than fixed complex mechanical structures, allowing the device to adapt to different breast sizes and positions while maintaining simplicity
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The device provides comfortable and effective breast tissue immobilization, reducing radiation exposure to surrounding tissues, minimizing side effects, and improving treatment accuracy by maintaining breast positioning during extended radiotherapy sessions.
Implementation Method 1
inflatable, lightweight, easy-to-use devices are provided to elongate and immobilize breast tissue
Data Source
AI summary
A comfortable, light weight device to properly position and elongate breast tissue for extended periods of time during radiotherapy and other medical procedures. In one embodiment, the breast fixation device is a generally cylindrical inflatable enclosure that wraps around the breast tissue. In another embodiment, the breast fixation device is composed of multiple rings that are placed around the breast tissue and inflated. In a further embodiment, the breast fixation device consists of multiple inflatable fingers which drape around the breast tissue and then squeeze the breast tissue into an elongated position as they are inflated.