Implantation of a Silastic Balloon for Reduction of Radiation Injuries of the Bowel in Two Children with Neuroblastoma

Abstract

The curability of malignant disease by radiation not only depends on tumour type and mass, as well as surgical and ehemotherapeutic procedures, but also on the anatomical site of the tumour. Radiation dosage is limited by the critical organs surrounding the tumour. Doses necessary for tumour destruction often cannot be administered without a significant risk of severe side effects. This is particularly true for pelvic tumours where the small bowel is the limiting factor. Two children with stage IV neuroblastoma who underwent chemotherapy and irradiation following surgical partial tumour excision died from severe bowel reaction. This led us to an attempt to push the bowel out of the radiation field (Table 1).