Klin Onkol 1999; 12(6): 211-212.
Summary: Vascular restenoses are a current problem in the treatment of vascular stenoses with stents and balloon angioplasty. This article introduces the possibility of endovascular brachytherapy in the prevention of vascular restenoses and describes the flrst experiences in this way of application of brachytherapy in the Czech Republic. Between March 1998 and July 1998 at the Department of radiotherapy and oncology in collaboration with interventional radiologists, gastroenterologists and angiologists we performed endovascular brachytherapy in 2 patients with restenosis of arteria poplitea and 3 patients with transjugular intrahepatic shunt. Endovascular brachytherapy was performed in all patients with a high dose rate automatic afterloading machine Gammamed 12i. We used a single fraction dose of 12 Gy given 3 mm from the source axis in the stenotic vessel segment. Follow-up time ranged from 82-159 days. The irradiated vessel segment was examined by ultrasound in all patients. In 1 patient, restenosis occured in the treated vessel segment 71 days after endovascular brachytherapy of tranjugular intrahepatic shunt. All other patients were without restenosis in the irradiated vessel segment during the follow-up time. Our experience in accordance with the literature shows that endovascular brachytherapy is a safe (for departments of radiation oncology equipped with high dose rate afterloading system), technically feasible, and well-tolerated method. Radiation associated side-effects were not notable.
