A new catheter system with remote tip guidance for endobronchial brachytherapy

Endobronchial brachytherapy is being used with increased frequency in the treatment of recurrent neoplastic obstruction of the major airways, alone or in combination with Nd-YAG laser ablation of the occluding tumor mass. Currently available catheter systems are not reliable with respect to accurate and simple bronchoscopic guidance during placement. Flexibility, wall strength and radiation transmission characteristics are not optimized. We describe a system that meets these goals which has been designed and tested in our department. It is composed of an external handle, deflecting guidewire, and catheter specially modified for endobronchial brachytherapy, with a tip that can be maneuvered in any direction with one hand from outside the patient. Major advantages of the system are ease of concurrent bronchoscopy and catheter guidance, good dosimetric characteristics of the catheter, reasonable cost, and ready availability for adaptation to various techniques of endobronchial brachytherapy.