Brachytherapy in Heidelberg

During the procedure, you will be given general anesthesia or sedation to reduce discomfort and help you remain still. There are two types of brachytherapy: placement inside a body cavity (intracavity) and placement in body tissue (interstitial). With intracavity brachytherapy, a device that contains radioactive material is placed in a body opening, such as the vagina or the windpipe, while with interstitial brachytherapy; the device is put into body tissue such as inside the prostate or the breast. The device is mainly temporary, but in some cases, it may be placed in your body permanently.

With temporary brachytherapy, you may need to stay in the hospital for a few days as the device will need to stay in place for up to 24 hours. With permanent brachytherapy, you can leave the hospital on the same day or the next day after the procedure. In general, you should plan to stay in Heidelberg for a week. 

Recovery for brachytherapy is relatively quick as most people can return to their normal activities and work within one or two days after treatment. However, bear in mind to avoid strenuous activities, such as heavy lifting, intense exercise, and running, until the area where the device was inserted is no longer tender.

You will be given detailed instructions regarding restrictions, diet, and exercises. You may need to undergo a series of follow-up examinations where your doctor will examine your general condition and determine if cancer has changed or stabilized, but you can choose to do this with your local doctor. If you have permanent brachytherapy, you need to avoid sitting closer than 50cm to children (younger than 18 years) and pregnant women for more than 20 minutes each day for at least the first couple of months as you will give off radiation.

You may undergo conventional radiation therapy if you do not want to have brachytherapy. Your doctor may also recommend other types of cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy, immunotherapy, hormone therapy, and surgery.