Please select the option that best describes you:
Topics:
Breast Cancer • Radiation Oncology
Would you recommend radiation planning with air tissue expanders in patients who will receive PMRT?
An example of an air expander is located at:
https://www.airxpanders.com/index.php
How do you ensure accurate dosimetry with the use of air tissue expanders? Would you recommend removal prior to PMRT planning/treatment?
Answer from: Radiation Oncologist at Community Practice
We have also not yet treated with them in place. We've acquired for physics testing, as we expect to encounter them, but we are not anxious to incorporate into our practice.
I've recently seen a patient with them who will have them exchanged prior to treatment. One of the big logi...
Answer from: Radiation Oncologist at Community Practice
I have recently treated 1 patient with the air expander in place. It presented a significant dosimetric challenge requiring extensive consultation with the company's physicist and other institutions that the company said 'does it all the time'. No such institution exists. The patie...
Radiation Oncologist
N=1 but we saw a patient whose air expander spontaneously deflated between sim and treatment start.
Note also the company brochure states the remote control should be held by a physician during the duration of treatments (so the patient doesn't go home after sim or during treatment and ...
Answer from: Radiation Oncologist at Community Practice
Have had one patient with this but I had the plastic surgeon replace air with saline before planning.
Answer from: Radiation Oncologist at Academic Institution
We are facing 2 similar concerns:
1. Standard expanders filled with air by plastic surgeons. Few days before simulation we have air replaced with saline.
2. Air expanders which inflate with remote- challenge is air and metal canister which both impact dosimetry. Also the leads can obscure ...
With this type of expander, fluid cannot be replac...
I know as it is non reversible valve and either de...