Hospital worker Santiago Chile: Reference in recovery from injury from radiotherapy centre.

Spain, February 2012. February 4th is World Cancer day. About 60% of these patients are undergoing radiotherapy treatment sometime during the course of their illness. Adverse reactions include acute reactions or injuries late post radiation. The latter limit clinical radiation dose, given that are progressive and can be lethal if they are not resolved.

When late radiation injuries occur, the tissues experience a progressive deterioration, marked by a decrease in the density of small blood vessels (decrease of vascularization) and the replacement of normal tissue cells with dense fibrous tissue (fibrosis), until that supplemental oxygen is not sufficient to maintain normal function. This situation is often aggravated by secondary damage, due to an infection or surgery in the affected area. This progressive and deferred radiation damage can reach a critical point that the tissue deteriorates into an ulcer or area of cell death (necrosis from radiation or radiation necrosis). Injuries can affect any organ system, although some tissues are more sensitive to the effects of radiation than others.

Backward reactions are as feature occurring then a latent period of 6 months or more and the patient continues at risk for such complications for the rest of his life. Even years later, delayed radiation complications may develop spontaneously or as a result of surgical wounds, trauma or dental extraction in the previously irradiated field.

From the 70s that HBO is used to treat the lesions of patients with cancer. About 50% of all patients treated in the hiperbáricos of the United States centres are for post radiation injuries. In Chile, the Hospital del Trabajador Santiago (HTS) is the Centre of reference in the treatment of chronic wounds of soft tissue of head, neck, chest and limbs. HTS attends to patients resulting from German clinic, Arturo López Pérez Foundation, Catholic University, Indisa clinic, Salvador Hospital and the National Cancer Institute.

Of hyperbaric oxygen therapy has been shown to reduce the likelihood of injury by radiation when applied as a prophylactic intervention under certain conditions. In fact, its application in intermittently is the only who has managed to increase the number of blood vessels in the tissue irradiated. Increased levels of oxygen improves the function of white blood cells and fibroblasts, which also helps the healing of the wound ”, required Dr. Tania Capote, head of the service of Baromedicine del Hospital worker Santiago.

Treated patients positive changes have occurred in the management of pain, functional ability and quality of life. Treatment varies between 20 and 60 sittings in camera hyperbaric, depending on each patient’s condition. These sessions last for an hour and a half and are performed from Monday to Friday, allowing a continuity to the treatment.