Just when you thought we might be done with balloons in prostate cancer radiation, there’s now a balloon device that can be used for a rectal spacer. The BioProtect Balloon Implant System is made of a biodegradable material that is placed transperineally between the prostate and rectum via blunt dissection in a manner similar to other rectal spacers. Once placed, it is then filled with saline. In this trial, 222 patients receiving prostate radiation were randomized to have balloon spacer placement during their fiducial marker placement procedure. The device was successfully placed in 99.5% of patients, and the mean volume of saline was 14.4cc. The amount of spacing was impressive at roughly 2cm from base to apex. The primary endpoint of >25% reduction in rectum V70 (using conventional fractionation and compared with a plan on their pre-implant CT) was achieved in 97.9% of rectal spacer patients. The balloon was completely absorbed at 6 months in 98.5% of patients. | Song, Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 2024
