What Happens During The Implementation Of Brachytherapy Treatment?

By Author: Frank Soiver
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Most times, brachytherapy is done as an outpatient procedure. This means you will not need to spend a night in the hospital. It is a procedure that takes around an hour whereby most people who undertake it receive spinal anaesthesia meaning you become numb in the area where the catheters will be inserted. You can also be given medication which will most probably have you feeling dizzy.
The doctor should ensure that you lie on your back comfortably during each treatment. Thereafter the catheter that you may be using is connected to the radiation machine. Whatever amount of the radiation dose that will be administered will be in a form of miniature x-ray source or tiny radioactive seeds.
Through the catheters the radiation machine inserts the dose. Once the treatment takes place, the machine then removes the dose. During these treatments, no radiation should remain inside your body.
You will need to rest in a recovery room once the procedure is over for purposes of waiting for the anaesthesia to wear off. This normally takes a few hours. An ice bag can be placed on the area of treatment to aid in reducing the ...
... swelling but it depends.
You will be in a position to resume your normal activities once you are through with these treatments as you are no longer radio active. The catheter will be removed once your days of brachytherapy treatment are over. Thereafter your incision will be cleaned and closed. However as much as it is an outpatient procedure, you should ensure you visit your doctor for check ups in case of anything. Ensure that you do not engage in activities that will stress the wound; more so heavy lifting and the like. You should follow all the instructions that the doctor gives you just when you are about to be dismissed from the hospital. You should be able to do everything as normal in about 4 to 5 days but this is relative for different people.
You may experience some swelling and soreness directly after the procedure on the treatment area. This is accompanied by bruising sometimes. It will last for a few days as it a mild case of bruising. You can be on pain killers if necessary but the doctor should be the one to prescribe that for you.
For others the side effects can be become more severe than mentioned. This will call for an immediate visit to the doctor. Ensure that you understand what these procedures are all about and ask questions to help you understand what you should and should not do.