Are you put to sleep for brachytherapy?
The implant procedure is usually done in a hospital operating room designed to keep the radiation inside the room. You’ll get anesthesia, which may be either general (where drugs are used to put you into a deep sleep so that you don’t feel pain) or local (where part of your body is numbed).
How long does it take to recover from brachytherapy?
Most side effects go away after treatment ends. Side effects include trouble or pain when urinating and diarrhea. But you may feel very tired for 4 to 6 weeks after your last treatment.
What should I do before brachytherapy?
How should I prepare for brachytherapy?
- Get an imaging scan, such as a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computed tomography (CT) scan.
- Stop taking medications, such as blood thinners (warfarin) or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), that affect blood clotting.
When is brachytherapy appropriate?
Brachytherapy is most commonly used to treat prostate cancer. It also can be used for gynecologic cancers such as cervical cancer and uterine (endometrial) cancer, as well as breast cancer, lung cancer, rectal cancer, eye cancer, and skin cancer.
How bad does brachytherapy hurt?
You shouldn’t feel any pain during brachytherapy, but if you feel uncomfortable or have any concerns, be sure to tell your caregivers. Once the radioactive material is removed from your body, you won’t give off radiation or be radioactive.
How is brachytherapy different from conventional radiation therapy?
Brachytherapy allows doctors to deliver higher doses of radiation to more-specific areas of the body, compared with the conventional form of radiation therapy (external beam radiation) that projects radiation from a machine outside of your body.
Where is the brachytherapy device placed in the body?
During intracavity brachytherapy, a device containing radioactive material is placed in a body opening, such as the windpipe or the vagina. The device may be a tube or cylinder made to fit the specific body opening. Your radiation therapy team may place the brachytherapy device by hand or may use a computerized machine to help place the device.
Are there any side effects to brachytherapy treatment?
Side effects of brachytherapy are specific to the area being treated. Because brachytherapy focuses radiation in a small treatment area, only that area is affected. You may experience tenderness and swelling in the treatment area.
Can you have visitors after brachytherapy for prostate cancer?
Once brachytherapy treatment is complete, you’re free to have visitors without restrictions. Permanent brachytherapy. In some cases, such as with prostate cancer brachytherapy, radioactive material is placed in your body permanently. The radioactive material is typically placed by hand with the guidance of an imaging test, such as ultrasound or CT.