Radiation centering catheters

摘要

The invention is directed to a radiation delivery catheter assembly for maintaining patency of a body lumen for a period of time sufficient to allow delivery of a radiation source to the body lumen. The catheter utilizes an inflatable region which maintains and centers the catheter in the body lumen. The catheter may include a perfusion lumen for supplying oxygenated blood to tissue located downstream from the catheter when the inflatable region is expanded in the body lumen. The inflatable region can be made up of a plurality of balloon segments which help center the radiation source, even if placed on a curved section of the body lumen. Embodiments of the invention include a catheter design which utilizes "rapid exchange" features and a dual therapeutic catheter which is capable of dilating a stenosed region of the body lumen prior to the administration of the radiation treatment. A two-piece protective sheath is used to protect the radiation source from bodily fluids.