Ep. 123 Perfecting Rectal Spacer Placement for Optimal Care with Dr. Neil Taunk

This week on BackTable Urology, Dr. Juan Javier-Desloges, a urologic oncologist at UC San Diego, interviews Dr. Neil Taunk, a radiation oncologist leading the Brachytherapy and Procedural Radiation program at the University of Pennsylvania, about his experience with using SpaceOAR rectal spacer for prostate cancer radiotherapy.

---

CHECK OUT OUR SPONSOR

Boston Scientific SpaceOAR Hydrogel

https://www.bostonscientific.com/spaceoar

---

SHOW NOTES

First, the doctors explore the nuances of rectal spacing and the best candidates for this procedure. They discuss various large-scale trials from different research institutions about the efficacy of rectal spacing in different types of radiation, like proton beam, external beam, and brachytherapy. He also notes the time crunch that comes with using a spacer and highlights the importance of understanding a patient's anatomy before performing the procedure. Additionally, he shares his insight on how extracapsular extension of the tumor can affect the rectal spacing procedure, as well as the potential benefits of rectal spacing for certain patient populations. Dr. Taunk also considers the differences between the two gels (Barrigel and SpaceOAR) available on the market and delves into specific differences between the two products.

Lastly, they emphasize the importance of pre-operative counseling for the imperfect management of patients because suboptimal gel placements and complications, such as intravascular injection and pulmonary embolism, are possible.

---

RESOURCES

SpaceOAR Hydrogel by Boston Scientific

https://www.bostonscientific.com/spaceoar