US2516261A - Cervical-uterine applicator - Google Patents

Description

Patented July 25, 1.950 v eenvmatznmnmearrmcmu BernharcllF-Z S'ehutt,

Brooklyn, E.

9:Glhims: Cl.

pmvement irr cervical -uterine'ap li'catoreamwfias Another "objectis tb provide -adevice in wliielii the portions of the device in whicli tll'e activy sixfi'stafice is contained" aremade sectional". so F that greater or" less" quantities of thematerial" may bemsed'andspre'a'dover greater or less-areas" of "the* body passages being treated.

- A still furthef'object is't'o" provide a? device'fin'" wlii'clrthe expandable elements can be quickly an'd easily moved to advance them to'"- operative" position and to retract 1 them-'-as-'= easily when de sife'df Still? another" objectis' toprovide a= dvie" in? wfiic'li the" withdrawal-0f the device from the'-" r b'bdy passage can be effected with" at minimum danger-offcontaminatibn of the operatorand the capsules" containing: the active material ma be filled a'ndientptid with a minimumofFri'sk to him.

Ffirtl'ierandmore=specific"objcts;' fimtilres and advantages will more" clearly appearfiom a cons'id'eratidn of the detailed specifiatibn-- Herein after'set'fbrth; es-peeia-lly=wlien*ta1en in eonriec tid'mwitlrthe accompanying diawings which il"- ltisiti'atepresent preferred forms wliiclfthe-in%-- 3h ventin' may assume" and i whieli form part of a tile-specification.-

II'fbrief -"emdi general termstl'ie'lnvefitim'f c01 1- c'erns" a; narrow 'fiat head- Witha fbrwardly ex-- tending; tubular; sectional appliator" rod in w*hie1'i=;a;ctive" material"maybe contained? and a? reanwardly' extending shame or livllo'w" stem" to which an operating" handle is removablyconn'ected: Oh "the" head are wzlisposed certain fiiced capsules containingactive material andcertaln'- 45 movable capsules'moved on" pivoted arms which can be operated b'y meansextendih g through the" lfoillbw st'emirom the outer endoI the handle sd'th'at' the arms supporting the movablerc apsules: maybe 'swungout away'fr'om' the axisvziftltedia Vice. o'r swung closel'yadjacent" thereto so." that" th'e'de'vice may" be ea'sllyinserted and yet the ae'tive'i" material is easily brbught'lintdif Contact" witffitheisurfaces within the" kiodygpassage' tdlde treated: 'Iii anotlier' partiular" the invehtibn" 55 21 cm'i'eems the: provision" of; extra dditlenwf capsulespnevidedi' with: attachedi sleeves the bee slipped over adjacent capSuls s01 tli'atx'greatew numbers' of"capsulesrmaybe addeditozfithezrmuw able capsule :unit as d'siredif A11 filrtlierv'fe'atitre to provid'slmplef meanse wheteby tlie inserted?devicema bei rembved: hand without dangerof contaminatiem tcrtfi 'gp zzofthe capsules Fig? '7 is a: side elevation of the tdolfo'rr revsmoving the caps of the capsules without danger? of contaminatiomto the operatbr? Referring now m'erely' tU-tlie specifiefiirms ofl tlfed'nventien shown in the drawings; it 'isnoted that it generally "comprises Y arhead A; w: shank B, a removable handle 0; a-rmriwardap plica'tor stem n and a series=of*capsulesraE,' some of which" are movable with'res'pect tdthe-axiszofi tlie devieei The-- head" A is comprised of 'tworinterleaved uesh'aped plates; one-"having spatzed legseal l 1 andbase I21 and" the other havingspa'c'ed' ees l-iiandlfiand'bfis I53 Asseenin Fig;"2', the:lgs=* are"inter1eaved*'and" connected 1 by "screws 6-? Tb? the base I 2 *is "connectedj a" Ho'llOWsliafili l l prf erablwsq'uarein"section havingar smallbore It adjacent and leading to the space betweentl'le i legs: of 'tl'ie'= U -'-shaped plates and also meme cenn'ecting outer larger" bore- 19 extenfiihgvto tliet outer" en'd 'ef the shank l1." Oneside' of shanknear tlie base I 2 '-'is"-'provided with atrans versenotcli- 20 The base l 5 is provided 'with-two capsulsfiicecf thereto 0n*oppositesides-thereof andcomprlsingi' tubular elements-"21 and removable screwcaps'- Tlie'searedi'sposedwith their'axesat right'angles posedin a vertical plane when" thedevitie* gripped in the hand of the operator with the series of capsules generally disposed in a horizontal plane. The base l5 also is provided with a forwardly extending applicator stem which is formed of a series of screw engaged hollow sections 23 which may be filled with required dosages of radio-active material as desired. The number of sections thus connected is optional and depends upon the natureand physicalconformation of the body passage being treated. It is seen thatthe' end section is bent at an angle to the rest of the sections, but it may be straight or of any other conformation thus enabling an applicator stem of any desired shape to be built up.

Pivoted on screws [6 between the legs [4 on the head A are a pair of pivoted arms 24 and 25, the inner ends of which are joined loosely by a pin 26 to the apertured end of a slidable rod 21 which slides in the small bore l8 of the shank H.

The outer portion of this rod 21 is threaded to engage with a -threaded bore in a sleeve 28 which isrotatably housed in the lower larger bore 19 in-the adjacent face of the shank so as to prevent longitudinal movement of the sleeve 28 but permitirotationthereof; The lower end of sleeve 28 extends below the end of shank IT and has. a

separate threaded end bore 32 and a transverse groove 33 extending in from the outer end surface thereof.

-On -the outer ends ofthe arms 24 and '25 are fixedly mounted tubular capsuleelements exactly similar to the onesdescribed as mounted on the base and numbered 2! and provided with removable screw caps 22. If it is desired to provide more-.capsules to the series than the fixed ones mentioned, the unit shown in Fig. 5 is provided. In this attachment there is the tubular capsule element 2| with its screw cap 22, and laterally connected thereto by a thin web 34! is an elongated collar 35- which at its lower end on one side thereof is provided with a slot 35 extending upward a suitablezdistance from the. bottom of the collar side. This collar 35 is adapted as shown in Fig. 4 to he slipped over the adjacent capsule tube and the slot embraces the end of the arms 24 and 25 or the web 34 asthe case may be. It is thus seen that as many capsule tubes may be added in series as desiredto give the required amount of radioactive treatment to smaller or larger areas of.

the body passage.

It is to be noted that the slots in the tops of the screw caps 22 of all the tubes 21 have a narrow outer end and an enlarged inner portion. This is to permit a similarly shaped end 31' of a tool shank 38 v having a-handle 39 to be laterally inserted in the slot in the screw cap to enable the capto beunscrewed and lifted out without being touched by the hands of the operator. This is important in the handling of these capsules containing radioactive material as can be well underas, at 44 to form a key to fit into the. transverse groove 33 in the lower end of the sleeve 28 previ-.

4 ously mentioned. Just below the end of sleeve 28 the diameter of rod 43 is reduced as at 45 to form shoulders at the ends of this reduced portion and a set screw 46 extends into this portion to limit the longitudinal movement of the rod 43 with respect to and within the sleeve 42. The lower end of rod 43 extends below the lower end of sleeve 42 and has pinned thereon a knurled finger knob 4i which is hollowed out to embrace the lower end of the sleeve 42. The sleeve 42 near the knob 41 is provided with a fiat finger grip 48 to enable the operator more certainly to manipulate the device when in his hands.

When the device is inserted into the body cavity to be treated, the handle sleeve is pulled off -and the device left in position for the requisite length of time. When it is desired to remove it,

a tool shown in Fig. 3 is employed which comprises a handleiil, a long shank 58 and a threaded outer end 5! which is adapted to be screwed into the threaded bore 32 in the outer end of sleeve '28 above described. This tool can then be turned to swing the arms back toward the axis of the device so that the smallest width is presented for .re--. moval from the cavity as easy as possible. The

length of the tool issuch that the device can be manipulated and withdrawn without contamina tion to the hands of the operator and then dipped into a sterilizing solution while still connected to the tool.

It is clear from the detailed description. thus 2 above set forththat the operation of the device is as follows: 1. 1 The sleeve 42) with its associated parts is slipped.

over the shank or stem l1 and latched in position as shown in Fig l. The knob 4.1 is moved forward until the key 54- engages the groove 33 inthe outer end of the sleeve ZBwhereupon the turning of the knob will move the rod 2? and pivot the arms 2 and 25. They may be swung one Way or the other depending upon the way inwhich the knob is turned. into a body passage the knob is turned to swing the arms in toward the axis of the device. When the inner limitof movement is reached the device is then inserted into the desired passage and the knob turned the other way to swing the arms out from the axis. The capsules on the arms and the fixed capsules on the head A are filled wan. required amounts of radio-active material and the sections of the stem Dare likewise provided with such material in required amounts. The number of capsules desired to use are determined and if more than the fixed ones are needed, then additional ones are hooked on by means of the .at- I tachable unit shown in Fig. 6. The degree to which the arms are swun out after insertion depends of course, upon the nature and physical construction of the body cavity to be treated, but it is to be seen that the swinging of the arms out. to a desired degree will bring the active capsules close to the desired surface at regulated desired. intervals. The forwardly extending stem D likewise is of determined. length depending upon the circumstances of the part to be treated and may readily and easily be made longer or shorter;. the end may be straight'or curved as desired. When the device is imposition the sleeve an handle B and C are slipped off. After the requisite treatment time is over, the tool shown in Fig. 3v is inserted as described and turned in the proper direction t o swing the capsule arms in toward the axis of the device after which it can be withdrawn" while still on the end of the tool and dipp d into a sterilizingsolutionwhile the hands of theoper- For insertion of the device ator are still such a distance away from the device as to be in no danger of contamination.

If at any time the caps 22 of the various capsules are to be removed so as to fill the capsules or to remove the active material therefrom, it is merely necessary to slip the lower end of the tool shown in Fig. 7 laterally into the slot in the tops of the caps and turn the tool which will unscrew the cap and permit it to be lifted out Without the hands of the operator coming anywhere near the cap and thus avoid contamination.

While the invention has been described in detail and shown with respect to the accompanying drawing, it is not to be limited to such details, since many changes and modifications may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. Hence, it is desired to cover any and all forms and modifications of the invention which may come within the language and scope of any one or more of the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. An applicator which comprises a head, capsules fixed to said head on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis thereof, movable capsules associated with said head and disposed on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis thereof, arms pivot ed on the head on which said movable capsules are mounted, and means extending into said head and engaging said arms to swing said arms toward and away from said head to selectively dispose said movable capsules.

2. An applicator which comprises a hollow head, a capsule fixed to said head, a capsule movable on said head, a hollow shank connected to said head, an arm within the head on which said movable capsule is mounted, and means manually operable and extending through said shank and into said head and connecting to said arm to move the capsule to and from the head.

3. An applicator which comprises a hollow head, a capsule fixed to said head, a capsule movable on said head, a hollow shank connected to said head, an arm within the head on which said movable capsule is mounted, a rod slidable within said shank and connected at one end to the arm, a sleeve within said shank and rotatable therein and embracing the lower end of said rod, and threaded means connecting the rod and the sleeve whereby the turning of the sleeve will longitudinally move the rod to swing the arm and the capsule thereon.

4. An applicator which comprises a hollow head, a capsule fixed to said head, a capsule movable on said head, a hollow shank connected to said head, an arm within the head on which said movable capsule is mounted, a rod slidable within said shank and connected at one end to the arm, a sleeve within said shank and rotatable therein and embracing the lower end of said rod, and threaded means connecting the rod and the sleeve whereby the turning of the sleeve will longitudinally move the rod to swing the arm and the capsule thereon, the lower end of the sleeve having a threaded bore and a transverse groove extending in from the end of said sleeve.

5.14.11 applicator which comprises a hollow head, a capsule fixed to said head, a capsule movable on said head, a hollow shank connected to said head, an arm within the head on which said movable capsule is mounted, a rod slidable within said shank and connected at one end tc the arm, a sleeve within said shank and rotatable therein and embracing the lower end of said rod, and threaded means connecting the rod and the sleeve whereby the turning of the sleeve will longitudinally move the rod to swing the arm and the capsul thereon, the lower end of the sleeve having a threaded bore and a transverse groove extending in from the end of said sleeve, a sleeve adapted to be slipped over said shank, a rotatable shaft within said last mentioned sleeve and manually turnable, and a flat key on the inner end of said shaft and adapted to engage the transverse groove whereby the turning of the shaft will turn the first-mentioned sleeve.

6. An applicator which includes a tool adapted to engage a screw cap and having a handle and long shank, the outer end of the shank having an enlarged transversely extending end to enter a similarl shaped slot in the screw cap whereby the cap may be turned and lifted without contact with the operators hands.

7. An applicator which includes a capsule unit comprising a hollow capsule, and an associated collar disposed parallel therewith and connected to the capsule by a web, said collar having a slot in one side thereof extending upwardly from the bottom thereof.

8. An applicator which comprises a head, a capsule fixed to said head, an arm pivoted to said head for movement toward and away therefrom, a capsule mounted on the arm and means to swing said arm toward and away from the longitudinal axis of the head.

9. An applicator which comprises a hollow head, a capsule fixed to said head, an arm pivoted on said head for swinging movement to and from said head, a capsule on said arm and means extending into said head and associated with said arm and adapted when actuated to move said' arm to and from the head as desired.

BERNHARD F. SCHUTT.

REFERENCES {JITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 834,261 Chambers Oct. 30, 1906 842,631 Deperdussin Jan. 29, 1907 1,109,072 Kozmouski Sept. 1, 1914 1,262,732 Andrews Apr. 16, 1918 1,406,509 Viol Feb. 14, 1922 1,694,246 Boyne Dec. 4, 1928 2,009,393 Failla July 30, 1935 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 303,035 Germany Jan. 16, 1918 472,560 Great Britain Sept. 27, 1937

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