Varian Medical received FDA clearance to market an updated brachytherapy applicator set designed specifically for intraluminal treatment of cancer of the esophagus. The Esophagus Bougie Set can now be used with Varian's full range of VariSource and GammaMed HDR (high dose rate) afterloaders.
The applicator set has been designed to ensure an optimal distance from the source to the tissue being treated. The set is equipped with bougies (slender, cylindrical instruments inserted into the esophagus) in four different diameters, facilitating the centered source position in the esophagus and optimizing the distance to the tissue to be treated. Also included in the set are a bite-protector and fixation, a fixation plate with band for each bougie diameter and a guiding wire, which allows for use of the Seldinger technique to insert the bougie into position.