Prostate brachytherapy

Brachytherapy is a procedure to implant radioactive seeds (pellets) into the prostate gland to kill prostate cancer cells. The seeds may give off high or low amounts of radiation.

Description

Brachytherapy takes 30 minutes or more, depending on the type of therapy you have. Before the procedure, you will be given medicine so that you do not feel pain. You may receive:

• A sedative to make you drowsy and numbing medicine on your perineum. This is the area between the anus and rectum.
• Anesthesia. With spinal anesthesia , you will be drowsy but awake, and numb below the waist. With general anesthesia , you will be asleep and pain-free.

  Spinal anesthesia

  Spinal and epidural anesthesia are medicines that numb parts of your body to block pain. They are given through shots in or around the spine....

   

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  General anesthesia

  General anesthesia is treatment with certain medicines that puts you into a deep sleep so you do not feel pain during surgery. After you receive the...

   

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After you receive anesthesia:

• The doctor places an ultrasound probe into your rectum to view the area. The probe is like a camera connected to a video monitor in the room. A catheter (tube) may be placed in your bladder to drain urine.

  Ultrasound

  Ultrasound uses high-frequency sound waves to make images of organs and structures inside the body.

   

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  Catheter

  A urinary catheter is a tube placed in the body to drain and collect urine from the bladder.

   

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• The doctor uses ultrasound or a CT scan to plan and then place the seeds that deliver radiation into your prostate. The seeds are placed with needles or special applicators through your perineum.

  CT scan

  A computed tomography (CT) scan is an imaging method that uses x-rays to create pictures of cross-sections of the body. Related tests include:Abdomin...

   

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• Placing the seeds may hurt a little (if you are awake).

Types of brachytherapy:

• Low-dose rate brachytherapy is the most common type of treatment. The seeds stay inside your prostate and put out a small amount of radiation for several months. You go about your normal routine with the seeds in place.
• High-dose rate brachytherapy lasts about 30 minutes. Your doctor inserts the radioactive material into the prostate. The doctor may use a computerized robot to do this. The radioactive material is removed right away after treatment. This method often requires two treatments spaced one week apart.

Why the Procedure Is Performed

Brachytherapy is often used for men with a small prostate cancer that is found early and is slow-growing. Brachytherapy has fewer complications and side effects than standard radiation therapy. You will also need fewer visits with the doctor.

Risks

Risks of any anesthesia are:

• Allergic reactions to medicines
• Breathing problems

  Breathing problems

  Breathing difficulty may involve:Difficult breathingUncomfortable breathingFeeling like you are not getting enough air

   

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Risks of any surgery are:

• Bleeding

  Bleeding

  Bleeding is the loss of blood. Bleeding may be:Inside the body (internally) Outside the body (externally)Bleeding may occur:Inside the body when blo...

   

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• Infection

Risks of this procedure are:

• Impotence
• Difficulty emptying your bladder, and the need to use a catheter
• Rectal urgency, or the feeling that you need to have a bowel movement right away
• Skin irritation in your rectum or bleeding from your rectum
• Other urinary problems
• Ulcers (sores) or a fistula (abnormal passage) in the rectum, scarring and narrowing of the urethra (all of these are rare)

Before the Procedure

Tell your health care provider what medicines you are taking. These include medicines, supplements, or herbs you bought without a prescription.

Before this procedure:

• You may need to have ultrasounds, x-rays , or CT scans to prepare for the procedure.

  x-rays

  X-rays are a type of electromagnetic radiation, just like visible light. An x-ray machine sends individual x-ray particles through the body. The im...

   

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• Several days before the procedure, you may be told to stop taking medicines that make it hard for your blood to clot. These medicines include aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil), clopidogrel (Plavix), and warfarin (Coumadin).
• Ask which medicines you should still take on the day of the surgery.
• If you smoke, try to stop. Your provider can help.

On the day of the procedure:

• You will likely be asked not to drink or eat anything for several hours before the procedure.
• Take the medicines you've been told to take with a small sip of water.
• You will be told when to arrive at the hospital. Be sure to arrive on time.

After the Procedure

You may be sleepy and have mild pain and tenderness after the procedure.

After an outpatient procedure, you can go home as soon as the anesthesia wears off. In rare cases, you will need to spend 1 to 2 days in the hospital. If you stay in the hospital, your visitors will need to follow special radiation safety precautions.

If you have a permanent implant, your provider may tell you to limit the amount of time you spend around children and women who are pregnant. After a few weeks to months, the radiation is gone and will not cause any harm. Because of this, there is no need to take out the seeds.

Outlook (Prognosis)

Most people with small, slow-growing prostate cancer remain cancer-free or their cancer is in good control for many years after this treatment. Urinary and rectal symptoms may last for months or years.