Abstract: An isotope seeding system that controls the release of radioactive seeds for treatment of cancerous cells during cancer treatment procedures. The isotope seeding system comprises at least one seed that is chargeable with radioactive isotopes. At least one dissolvable web netting may alternatively be positioned about the at least one seed, and a seed deployment assembly is utilized for delivering the at least one seed, with or without the dissolvable web netting, into an organism's tissue, to surround cancerous cells. The seed deployment assembly includes an elongated cannula, a hub assembly and an obturator. The hub assembly includes an initial inner diameter at its proximal end and an operable length between the proximal end of the hub assembly and the proximal end of the cannula, the ratio of the initial inner diameter relative to the operable length being in the range of 0.075 to 0.

Abstract: A surgical needle including a cannula, hook-wire and reinforcement member for use in the manual location and marking of a lesion in a mass of soft tissue. The cannula rigidly supports the hook-wire during insertion into the soft tissue, and has a substantially cylindrical, hollow shaft and a cutting point located at an insertion end. The surgical needle further includes an anchor for restrainably locating the hook-wire proximate the lesion which is capable of springedly assuming a substantially acute angle relative to the remainder of the hook-wire. Reinforcement minimizes the potential for breakage of the hook-wire within the mass of soft tissue, after extension of the hook-wire beyond the insertion end of the cannula; in which the hook-wire is substantially D-shaped and closely approximates the diameter of the substantially cylindrical, hollow shaft; maximizing the structural size and integrity of the hook-wire to minimize the occurrence of breakage.