תקציר
High Dose Endobronchial Brachy - Therapy for Malignant Airway Obstruction
Alex Yarmolovsky, Alan Katz, Eyal Fenig, G. Fink, Daniel Bendayan, Aaron Sulkes, Mordechai R. Kramer
Institutes of Pulmonology and Oncology, Rabin Medical Center, Beilinson Campus, Petah Tikva, and Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University
Brachytherapy is especially suitable for palliative treatment of endobronchial tumors adjacent to internal organs that might be damaged by intensive external beam radiation, but are easily accessed with a flexible bronchoscope. This treatment is mostly palliative.
30 patients underwent such palliative high-dose endobronchial brachytherapy to alleviate malignant airway obstruction. With the aid of a flexible fiberoptic bronchoscope an endobronchial catheter was inserted adjacent to the tumor and treatment delivered using a 192Ir remote afterloader for 5-10 min, in 2 or 3 sessions.
There was symptomatic improvement in 26 (86%) and objective improvement in 27 (90%). 1 patient died of hemoptysis.