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    When do you need prostate brachytherapy?  

    If a patient is affected with prostate cancer, he/she will need prostate brachytherapy. The symptoms of prostate cancer are:  

    • Difficulty in starting urination  

       

    • Frequent urination  

       

    • Pain or burning sensation during urination  

       

    • The weak or interrupted flow of urine  

       

    • Blood in the urine   

       

      

     

    What are the types of prostate brachytherapy?  

    There are two types of prostate brachytherapy procedures. They are:  

    1. High dose rate brachytherapy (HDR) - It is a temporary type of prostate brachytherapy. A radioactive source is placed in the prostate gland and a high dose of radiation is applied for a few minutes before removing of sources.  

    1. Low dose rate brachytherapy (LDR) - It is permanent type brachytherapy. Radioactive seeds are placed in the prostate permanently. Low doses of radiation are released regularly for several months.  

      

    What can a patient expect during prostate brachytherapy?  

    The expectations of prostate brachytherapy depend on the type of therapy a patient receives.  

    Low dose rate brachytherapy  

    The patient is placed under general anesthesia during this procedure. A thin rod-like instrument is inserted into the rectum to capture pictures of the prostate by creating ultrasound. Using the pictures, a long needle is inserted through the skin between the scrotum and anus into the prostate, and seed-like radioactive implants are inserted. Each seed resembles a grain of rice. The radiation is released for a few months through these seeds and remains in the body permanently.  

    Though the amount of radiation released by the seeds are low and does not cause harm to anyone elsepatients are advised to avoid close contact with small children and pregnant women for some time.   

    High dose brachytherapy  

    Similar to LDR, an HDR also requires anesthesia. Thin tubes are placed in your prostate by inserting it through the perineum and until the last stage of the treatment, these tubes remain in place. The tubes placed in the prostate are connected to a machine that contains radioactive wires. These wires are placed for several minutes until the surgeon hears a clicking noise. This procedure is repeated a few times. After HDR brachytherapy, the radioactive sources are removed, avoiding the need for any special precautions to be followed.  

      

    What are the possible side effects and complications after prostate brachytherapy?  

    The following are the side effects of prostate brachytherapy:  

    • Blood in the urine  

    • Pain while urinating  

       

    • Emptying the bladder feels difficult  

       

    • Feeling an urgent need to urinate  

    • Rectum bleeding  

       

    • Frequent bowel movements  

       

    • Blood in stool  

       

    Some of the rare complications that can occur after prostate brachytherapy are:  

    • Fistula (abnormal opening) in the rectum wall  

       

    • Cancer in the bladder  

       

    • The tube that transports urine from the bladder to the outside of the body narrows  

       

      

    What do you need to know about post-surgical care for prostate brachytherapy?  

    Generally, patients can be discharged from the hospital within 24 hours of surgery. 

    A urinary catheter will be placed before they are discharged from the hospital, and patients are instructed to not remove this catheter. It must remain in place until the patient has healed sufficiently and no longer requires it.  

    Pain and swelling occur in the perineum after prostate brachytherapy. The patient may be prescribed medication and ice packs to reduce the symptoms. Patients can also resume daily activities after a few days, but they are advised to avoid exercise and heavy lifting.  

    The level of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in the blood is tested after the prostate brachytherapy. It will give an idea if the surgery has been successful. The PSA level usually rises after the prostate brachytherapy and bounces back to its original level after a certain period. If it continues to increase, consult your Apollo doctor immediately.  

     


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