New Breast Brachytherapy Device Used in First Patient

October 1, 2007— North American Scientific Inc. announced that its ClearPath-HDR device has been used in a patient for the first time.
For use in Accelerated Partial Breast Irradiation (APBI) treatment plans, ClearPath-HDR reportedly combines the benefits of balloon brachytherapy products with the customized dose planning benefits of the multi-catheter brachytherapy procedure into one device.
This combination also allows doctors to take advantage of a shorter five-day APBI treatment plan, compared with the six to eight weeks required for external beam treatment plans. In addition, ClearPath is implanted through a single incision and is designed to minimize radiation exposure of nearby healthy tissue.
The ClearPath systems are designed to adapt to the resection cavity, allowing for more conformal therapeutic radiation dose distribution following lumpectomy compared to other methods of APBI. ClearPath is designed to accommodate either high-dose, ClearPath-HDR, or low-dose rate, ClearPath-CR, treatment methods. The company has received 510k approval from the FDA for both ClearPath-HDR and ClearPath-CR.
For more information: www.nasmedical.com