Can Perirectal Spacing Help Reduce GI Toxicity in Patients Undergoing Post-Prostatectomy Radiotherapy?

Abstract

Purpose/Objective(s) To report single institutional feasibility of recto-vesical hyaluronic acid or hydrogel spacer insertion for patients undergoing post prostatectomy radiotherapy (PPRT). Materials/Methods Spacer insertion was considered in patients referred for PPRT following an intra or interfascial radical prostatectomy who had no radiological evidence of local recurrence (based on prostate specific membrane antigen positron emission tomography). The spacer was inserted into the perirectal fat between the bladder and anterior rectal wall using a transperineal approach under transrectal ultrasound guidance. Two gold seed fiducial markers were also inserted at the level of the vesico-uret..