Nelson N. Stone, MD, presented “Sculpted Rectal Spacing for Focal Brachytherapy” during the 26th Annual Southwest Prostate Cancer Symposium conference on April 14, 2023, in Scottsdale, Arizona.
How to cite: Stone, Nelson N. “Sculpted Rectal Spacing for Focal Brachytherapy.” April 14, 2023. Accessed Nov 2024. https://grandroundsinurology.com/sculpted-rectal-spacing-for-focal-brachytherapy/
Sculpted Rectal Spacing for Focal Brachytherapy – Summary
Nelson N. Stone, MD examines the role of sculpted rectal spacing in enhancing the precision and safety of brachytherapy for prostate cancer. Sculpted rectal spacing involves creating a customized physical barrier between the prostate and rectum, designed to protect the rectal wall from high-dose radiation during brachytherapy.
He highlights the significant benefits of using sculpted rectal spacers, noting their ability to precisely conform to the patient’s anatomy. This tailored approach ensures optimal separation and protection of the rectal tissue, allowing for higher radiation doses to be safely administered to the prostate. Dr. Stone presents clinical data demonstrating that sculpted rectal spacing significantly reduces the incidence of rectal side effects, such as pain, bleeding, and bowel dysfunction, compared to traditional brachytherapy without spacers.
Dr. Stone also addresses the technical aspects and challenges of sculpted rectal spacing. He discusses the procedure for inserting the spacers, which is performed under ultrasound guidance to ensure accurate placement.
About the 26th Annual Southwest Prostate Cancer Symposium:
This conference educated attendees about advances in the management of localized and advanced prostate cancer, with a focus on imaging, technology, and training in the related devices. It included a scientific session, as well as live demonstrations of surgical techniques. You can learn more about the conference here.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Nelson N. Stone, MD, is Professor of Urology, Radiation Oncology, and Oncological Sciences at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and chief medical officer at Viomerse, Inc.
Dr. Stone earned his medical degree from the University of Maryland in 1979. He completed a Residency in General Surgery in 1981 at the University of Maryland, followed by a Residency in Urology at the University of Maryland. He then completed a Fellowship in Urologic Oncology at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and a Research Fellowship in Biochemical Endocrinology at Rockefeller University in 1986. He was Chief of Urology at Elmhurst Hospital Queens from 1986-1996.
Dr. Stone has founded several medical companies and serves on the editorial board of many scientific journals. He is a member of many professional societies, including the Prostate Conditions Education Council, the Society for Minimally Invasive Therapy, the New York State Urological Society, the American Association of Clinical Urologists, and the American Urologic Association. Dr. Stone has participated in approximately 25 research studies on prostate cancer and has authored more than 500 articles, abstracts, and book chapters, primarily on prostate cancer. He invented the real-time technique for prostate brachytherapy in 1990 and has trained more than 5,000 physicians worldwide through his company ProSeed. His most recent company, Viomerse, creates synthetic body parts (phantoms) for surgical training and has recently released an extended reality remote training platform.
