What rectal spacer do you recommend for prostate cancer patients?

I’ve only ever worked with SpaceOARs. I’d be interested to hear from providers who have gotten to work with both.

There are similarities between both. A similar amount of total volume is injected with either procedure. Both products begin natural resorption around 3 months after placement.

SpaceOAR uses polymerized polyethylene glycol, while Barrigel uses hyaluronic acid. SpaceOAR has to be injected continuously once injection begins, while Barrigel can be “sculpted” more precisely. There are so...

Either SpaceOAR or Barrigel

• Recommended for...
  • Chronic anticoagulation, or
  • Inflammatory bowel disease
• Not recommended for...
  • Central T3 or T4 disease, or
  • When there is scarring of the potential space (e.g., due to prior surgery or radiotherapy or rectovesical fistula)
• Optional for all other situations
  • Slightly favored for ultrahypofractionation or simultaneous integrated boost

I agree with other comments that the main benefit of SpaceOAR Vue is you can see it easily on planning CT and...

We’re seeing an evolution in rectal spacers – and like ChatGPT or any disruptive technology, rectal spacing is about to go to another level: I've put in thousands of SpaceOars (and was an investigator in the 2015 FDA pivotal trial) and have experience using Barrigel since its approval earlier this year. I also was an investigator in a recently completed FDA pivotal trial for a completely novel next generation spacer which is NOT a gel, but an injectable biodegradable balloon. It is a game-change...

Most of my experience has been with the SpaceOAR. We did try out the Barrigel, and it is more sculptable, however, I went back to the SpaceOAR. Having the contrast in the SpaceOAR makes it a huge fiducial and lets you know absolutely where the posterior margin of your prostate is during treatment.

If Barrigel comes out with an iodinated version, I'd likely switch over to that, but for now, that's not the case.

In any event, I haven't seen any significant change in rectal side effects using eithe...

AVOID technique. 41% rectal wall infiltration goes to 0% when using the AVOID technique.