Devices for assembling strands comprising radioactive seeds

摘要

A cartridge may include a housing configured to contain a plurality of like items and a track inside the housing. The track extends in a first direction, and a plunger may be slidable along the track in the first direction and configured to urge the items toward a first end of the housing. The cartridge may include a gate attached to the housing. The gate may be movable between a first position preventing the items from being removed from the housing and a second position allowing one of the items to be removed from the housing. The gate may be configured to remove the one item from being urged by the plunger.

主权项

1. A device for assembling a strand of radioactive seeds, comprising:
a carriage portion configured to receive a plurality of cartridges; a selector slidable relative to the longitudinal axis of the device, the selector being operable to select one of said cartridges; a track configured to receive a plurality of radioactive seeds, non-radioactive connectors, and non-radioactive spacers; an actuator configured to eject one of a seed, connector, and a spacer from said selected cartridge to said track; a lockout mechanism configured to prevent operation of the actuator when a selected cartridge is empty; a combiner slidable relative to the carriage portion, said combiner being operable to combine a plurality of seeds, connectors, and spacers into a single strand; and a stylet associated with said combiner, the stylet separate from the actuator, wherein the combiner comprises decoupling magnets to prevent application of excessive compression force that could result in rupturing at least one of the radioactive seeds, non-radioactive connectors, and non-radioactive spacers.