About Intraoperative Brachytherapy
Key Highlights
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Precision Targeting: Delivers radiation directly to the tumor bed with millimeter accuracy, minimizing damage to healthy organs.Single-Session Convenience: Often completed in one session during surgery, reducing overall treatment time compared to external beam radiotherapy.Enhanced Efficacy: Allows for a higher, more effective radiation dose to be given directly to the area at highest risk for cancer recurrence.listrongOrgan Preservation:/strong Can be a critical technique in surgeries aimed at preserving organ function, such as in breast or rectal cancer./lilistrongMultidisciplinary Approach:/strong Involves close collaboration between the surgical oncologist and radiation oncologist for optimal patient outcomes./li/ul
Who is this surgery for?
- As a boost to external beam radiation therapy for locally advanced cancers (e.g., sarcoma, rectal, cervical).
- Treatment of localized recurrences in previously irradiated areas.
- Management of positive or close surgical margins after tumor resection where re-excision is not feasible.
- Primary or adjuvant treatment for early-stage breast cancer (e.g., Accelerated Partial Breast Irradiation - APBI).
- Treatment of biliary tract or pancreatic cancers to improve local control.
- Adjuvant therapy for soft tissue sarcomas where wide surgical margins are difficult to achieve.
How to prepare
- Comprehensive pre-operative evaluation including imaging (CT, MRI) to precisely map the tumor location and volume.
- Multidisciplinary team meeting (Tumor Board) involving the surgical oncologist, radiation oncologist, and medical oncologist to plan the procedure.
- Detailed patient counseling about the procedure, benefits, risks, and the intraoperative experience.
- Standard pre-surgical preparations: fasting, blood tests, and management of current medications as advised by the surgical team.
- Planning and calibration of the brachytherapy equipment and radioactive sources by the medical physics team.
Risks & possible complications
- Short-term: Pain, swelling, or bruising at the treatment site; risk of infection or bleeding related to the surgical procedure.
- Wound Healing Issues: Potential for delayed wound healing or wound breakdown due to the combined effects of surgery and radiation.
- Long-term Tissue Effects: Fibrosis (thickening/scarring of tissue), skin changes, or telangiectasias (small visible blood vessels) in the treated area.
- Organ-Specific Risks: Depending on the treatment site, risks may include bowel obstruction, fistula formation, or nerve damage.
- Very Rare: Secondary malignancy due to radiation exposure, though the highly localized nature of IOBT minimizes this risk.
Recovery & hospital stay
- Initial recovery is primarily from the surgical procedure, with hospital stay dictated by the type of surgery performed.
- Patients may experience fatigue, which is common after both surgery and radiation. Adequate rest is important.
- Careful monitoring and care of the surgical incision site as per the surgeon's instructions to prevent infection.
- Follow-up appointments with both the surgical and radiation oncology teams to monitor healing and treatment response.
- Most patients can resume light activities within a few days to a week, with a gradual return to normal activities over several weeks, avoiding strenuous exercise until cleared by the doctor.
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Typical hospital stay: 2-5 days
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Expected recovery time: 2-6 weeks
Frequently Asked Questions
If you are considering intraoperative brachytherapy in Turkey, these questions and answers can help you make a confident, informed decision.
Top-rated hospitals in Turkey with radiation oncology departments and experienced surgeons are ideal for this procedure. Use MediFyr to compare facilities, reviews, and doctor profiles before you decide.
Look at the doctor’s years of experience, hospital association, patient reviews, and how often they perform intraoperative brachytherapy. MediFyr helps you compare radiation oncologists and book consultations online.
The overall cost depends on hospital category, surgeon’s experience, room type, implant or device used (if any), length of stay, tests, and post-operative care. Our team can help you get cost estimates from multiple hospitals before you decide.
Procedure cost in other countries
Here is an overview of how the estimated cost, hospital stay, and recovery time for intraoperative brachytherapy compare across other countries where we have data.
A 72-year-old retired fisherman from Jaffa...
A 72-year-old retired fisherman from Jaffa presented with inoperable liver metastases from colorectal cancer. Dr. Bar Orian implemented stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) in five fractions. The patient, who lived alone and had limited Hebrew proficiency, showed remarkable tumor regression at 3-month follow-up with minimal side effects.
Radiation Oncologists for Intraoperative Brachytherapy
Explore experienced radiation oncologists who regularly perform intraoperative brachytherapy and provide pre- and post-operative care in Turkey.
- 17 Years Experience
- Radiation Oncologist
Liv Hospital Ankara
- 17 Years Experience
- Radiation Oncologist
Liv Hospital Ankara
- 17 Years Experience
- Radiation Oncologist
Liv Hospital Ankara
- 17 Years Experience
- Radiation Oncologist
Liv Hospital Ankara
- 17 Years Experience
- Radiation Oncologist
Liv Hospital Ankara
- 17 Years Experience
- Radiation Oncologist
Liv Hospital Ankara
- 17 Years Experience
- Radiation Oncologist
Liv Hospital Ankara
- 17 Years Experience
- Radiation Oncologist
Liv Hospital Ankara