High-dose-rate brachytherapy in severe trismus: Making it happen!

Abstract

Brachytherapy has been widely employed as a salvage or adjuvant modality in localized early and/or recurrent lesions. In recent years, advances in brachytherapy techniques have helped to achieve better loco-regional disease control and higher survival rates at the cost of limited morbidity. This is mainly owing to the development of technologically advanced three-dimensional computer planning systems and treatment delivery techniques. Low-dose-rate brachytherapy has been substituted by high-dose-rate and pulsed-dose-rate techniques, which allow better dose optimization. Inter-disciplinary approach results in fabrication of customized intra-oral surface mould, which allows accurate dose delivery, excellent dose distribution, and is less time-consuming. However, fabrication of surface mould becomes extremely challenging when intra-oral anatomic factors are unfavorable. We present a report on the management of a previously-irradiated completely edentulous patient with severe trismus for whom high-dose-rate surface mould brachytherapy had been prescribed. A unique, reliable, and practical solution has been presented based firmly on the scientific knowledge of contemporary implant dentistry.