Medicine

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Prostate Brachytherapy with Iodine-125 Seeds: Safety precautions

Who is this leaflet for?

This leaflet is for patients that are undergoing prostate brachytherapy with Iodine-125 seeds. It explains the precautions that should be followed by the patient after having this procedure.

What is prostate brachytherapy with Iodine-125 seeds?

It is a treatment for prostate cancer. Radioactive seeds are permanently implanted into the prostate gland, via an operation.

Covid-19

During the Covid-19 pandemic there are precautions you should follow to reduce the risk of infection with the virus around the time of your prostate brachytherapy (these will be confirmed with you by your oncologist):

• Shield at home for 2 weeks before and after your treatment
• Follow the government current social distancing guidelines at all times

The trust has also put in place measures to ensure the safety of all patients during this pandemic. This includes the provision of full PPE in every department, triage team to monitor who enters the premises and weekly swab test to monitor patients.

Following your brachytherapy treatment

As you will be receiving a radioactive implant, please follow these simple precautions after your treatment. At the same time, ensure that you follow the government’s current social distancing guidelines:

Contact with other people:

• Your treatment results in low levels of radiation on the outside of your body but you cannot harm anyone by briefly hugging, kissing, shaking hands or being in the same room with them.

• The radioactive material in your implant is contained in a sealed capsule (seed) so that the radioactivity will not circulate in your blood, urine or any body fluids. Therefore you cannot transfer the radioactivity (contaminate) to anyone or anything. This means you can share linen, clothing, plates, cutlery and toilet facilities with other people as usual.

Precautions for the first 2 months:

Babies and children

• As babies and children are more sensitive to radiation, it is recommended that you do not sit babies or young children on your lap or sit next to them for long periods of time.
• If you want to cuddle your child/grandchild, ensure you keep them at chest level and only for a few minutes a day.
• Avoid close contact with (i.e. sitting next to or hugging) pregnant women for the first 2 months after your implant.
• If your partner or a close family member sharing your living accommodation is/becomes pregnant, please inform your clinical nurse specialist, urologist or oncologist as it may be necessary for you to take extra precautions until the baby is born.

Sexual activity

• You may still have sex with your partner but you should use a condom for the 2 months following your implant.
• A condom should be used for the first 5 ejaculations, regardless of how long it has been since your implant. This is because there is a small chance that a seed might be contained in the ejaculate. These condoms should be double wrapped and placed in the bin.
• However if your partner is pregnant then you should not have sex with your partner for the first 2 months following your implant and after that always using a condom until the baby is born.

Finding a seed:

• There is a very small chance that you could pass a seed in your urine or semen. If you think this has happened you should dispose of it in the toilet (flushing twice). Please let your urologist or oncologist know if this happens.
• Never handle the seeds with your fingers – if you need to pick one up you must use tweezers or a spoon and flush it down the toilet. Please let your urologist or oncologist know if this happens.
• Passing a seed will not affect the overall quality of your treatment.

Future surgery:

• If you ever need an operation on your prostate again or in the pelvic area it is important that you should tell your surgeon about your implant so they can seek advice from our department about the disposal of any seeds that may be removed.
• This includes procedures on your urethra such as Trans-Urethral Resection of the Prostate (TURP) for problems with passing urine.

Wallet card:

• You will be given a wallet card, which summarises the above precautions and explains that you have had a radioactive implant. It also has contact details for hospital experts.
• The card should be shown to healthcare professionals if you have any further health investigations or treatment.
• It may also be shown to security personnel if required whilst travelling internationally.
• You should carry it at all times for 3 years after your implant.

Death:

• In the unlikely event that you die in the first 20 months after your implant, cremation is not recommended due to the risk of releasing remaining radioactivity into the air and scattered in the ashes. We suggest you discuss this with your family so that they are aware and can make the correct arrangements with the funeral director.
• Burial is permitted at any time.

Further information

For further information please contact Radiotherapy Physics on:

020 346 56202

020 346 56200

Or your Oncologist, via the Radiotherapy department Reception:

020 346 55222

If you have any questions about your procedure or the safety precautions, please write them below and show them to a member of the brachytherapy team who can help you.

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Large print and other languages

This information can be made available in alternative formats, such as easy read or large print, and may be available in alternative languages, upon request. For more information, speak to your clinical team.
 

এই তথ্যগুলো সহজে পড়া যায় অথবা বৃহৎ প্রিন্টের মত বিকল্প ফরম্যাটে পাওয়া যাবে, এবং অনুরোধে অন্য ভাষায়ও পাওয়া যেতে পারে। আরো তথ্যের জন্য আপনার ক্লিনিক্যাল টিমের সাথে কথা বলুন।

Na żądanie te informacje mogą zostać udostępnione w innych formatach, takich jak zapis większą czcionką lub łatwą do czytania, a także w innych językach. Aby uzyskać więcej informacji, porozmawiaj ze swoim zespołem specjalistów.

Macluumaadkaan waxaa loo heli karaa qaab kale, sida ugu akhrinta ugu fudud, ama far waa weyn, waxana laga yabaa in lagu heli luuqaado Kale, haddii la codsado. Wixii macluumaad dheeraad ah, kala hadal kooxda xarunta caafimaadka.

Bu bilgi, kolay okunurluk veya büyük baskılar gibi alternatif biçimlerde sunulabilir, ve talep üzerine Alternatif Dillerde sunulabilir. Daha fazla bilgi için klinik ekibinizle irtibata geçin.

یہ معلومات متبادل فارمیٹس میں دستیاب کی جا سکتی ہیں، جیسا کہ پڑھنے میں آسان یا بڑا پرنٹ  اور درخواست پر متبادل زبانوں میں بھی دستیاب ہو سکتی ہیں۔ مزید معلومات کے لیے، اپنی کلینکل ٹیم سے بات کریں'۔

Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)
Please contact us if you need general information or advice about Trust services: www.bartshealth.nhs.uk/pals

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Reference: BH/PIN/1052

Publication date: Dec 2020

All our patient information leaflets are reviewed every three years.

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