Rola i miejsce anestezjologa w leczeniu chorób nowotworowych za pomocą brachyterapii

Ewa Wojcieszek

Summary
Brachytherapy is a method frequently used for radiotherapy of various tumours, during which seeds or sources are placed in or near the tumour itself, giving a high radiation dose to the tumour while reducing the radiation exposure to the surrounding healthy tissue. Various techniques are used, depending on the dose of radiation: LDR (low dose rate), MDR (medium dose rate) HDR (high dose rate). During the PDR (pulse dose rate) a radioactive pellet is pushed into tissue under computer control. The computer controls how long the pellet stays and where it releases its radiation. Brachytherapy can be used as a sole treatment or as part of a complex therapy, and can be used for palliative care. It is used to treat many types of cancer including uterine cancer, digestive tract cancer, neck tumours, lung cancer or sarcomas. Radioactive material can be implanted permanently, or be pushed temporarily into tissue under computer control. The latter can be painful and unpleasant, requiring multiple injections, and anaesthesia or sedation may be necessary. Various types of brachytherapy and possible anaesthetic techniques are discussed.

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