Minimise potential side effects of prostate radiation therapy and improve your quality of life with BARRIGEL hyaluronic acid spacer
If you, or someone you love, has been diagnosed with prostate cancer and is planning to undergo radiation therapy, you may want to consider a prostate spacer to help minimise the potential side effects. Radiation therapy – the standard practice of using energy beams to ablate (destroy) cancer cells and stop them from spreading – can greatly improve your prognosis and quality of life following a prostate cancer diagnosis. With technological advances in radiation therapy, treatment planning is more accurate and more precise than ever before. But, there is a risk that radiation beams can potentially affect healthy organs near the prostate. As a result of treatment, patients can experience bowel, urinary, and sexual complications. A prostate spacer helps protect healthy organs around the prostate by minimising their radiation exposure.
Unlike other spacing products, BARRIGEL is a sculptable gel which allows your physician to carefully and effectively sculpt the spacer to your anatomy. This allows optimal placement and coverage of the area surrounding the prostate, including the area around the seminal vesicles.
Due to its close proximity to the prostate, the rectum is the primary organ at risk for radiation exposure.
BARRIGEL creates stable space between the prostate and the rectum, moving the healthy organ out of radiation beam exposure.
Unlike other spacing products, BARRIGEL is a sculptable gel which allows your physician to carefully and effectively sculpt the spacer to your anatomy. This allows optimal placement and coverage of the area surrounding the prostate, including the area around the seminal vesicles.
BARRIGEL is the only gel spacer that can be viewed clearly on transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) during the procedure. This added visibility during insertion provides your physician greater control and precision over the placement of the spacer.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is BARRIGEL made of and is it safe?
BARRIGEL is the first and only hyaluronic acid prostate spacer on the market. BARRIGEL is made from Non-Animal Stabilised Hyaluronic Acid, known as NASHA. NASHA has a long history of safety, efficacy and biocompatibility in a wide variety of medical applications, including paediatric medicine. It is a well-known technology in aesthetic markets as a dermal filler, and has been used in over 40-million treatments globally across all approved indications.
What are the risks associated with BARRIGEL?
As with any injection procedure, there is a risk of infection. Potential procedure-related side effects can include pain at the injection site and a brief period of bleeding from the needle stick. Post treatment side effects include mild to moderate sensation of rectal filling. Talk to your doctor about the risks associated with BARRIGEL.
How is BARRIGEL placed?
BARRIGEL is placed in between the rectum and the prostate through a needle in an outpatient setting. Your physician will use imaging technology during the procedure to sculpt the BARRIGEL spacer to your anatomy.
Where is the procedure done?
BARRIGEL can be placed during an outpatient procedure in a hospital or outpatient clinic prior to the start of radiation treatment. BARRIGEL is typically inserted at the same time as fiducial marker placement.
How long before I can get back to regular activities following the procedure?
Your physician is the best person to consult for timing on returning to your regular activities.
How long will BARRIGEL remain in my body?
BARRIGEL is a hyaluronic acid that is biocompatible with your body. The spacer will stay in place for the duration of your radiation therapy and begins to safely reabsorb into your body after 9 months. It is important to note that BARRIGEL may be detected during anorectal examinations and medical imaging of the pelvis. It is important to inform your future physicians that you have had treatment with BARRIGEL.
Which types of radiation therapy can BARRIGEL be used with?
There are two main types of radiation therapy available for prostate cancer treatment, external beam and internal (brachytherapy). The specific radiation therapy your physician recommends depends on many factors, some of which include: the type of cancer, size of the tumour, tumour location, general health, age, and medical conditions. BARRIGEL can be used with all forms of radiation therapy available for treating prostate cancer patients with clinical stage T1-T3. Talk with your doctor to find out if BARRIGEL is right for you.