Advances in prevention of radiation damage to visceral and solid organs in patients requiring radiation therapy of the trunk

Background: As a part of multimodality therapy, many patients with tumors of the trunk receive radiation therapy. The major morbidity of this therapy is often secondary to incidental radiation damage to tissues adjacent to treatment areas. Methods: We detail our use of saline breast implants placed in polyglycolic acid mesh sheets to displace visceral and solid organs away from the radiation field. Results: Analysis of CT scans and dose volume histograms reveal that this technique successfully displaces uninvolved organs away from the radiation fields, thereby minimizing the radiation dose to such organs and tissues. Conclusion: We believe this is a safe and efficacious method to prevent radiation damage to visceral and solid organs adjacent to trunk tumor sites.