AHRR achieves another first! Plaque brachytherapy with indigenous Ruthenium from BARC

Plaque Brachytherapy is a sophisticated and localized radiation therapy for treatment of recurrent retinoblastoma, as it provides focused treatment of eye cancer without damaging the surrounding normal structure. (Photo source: ANI)

For the first time ever in the history of the armed forces hospital, plaque brachytherapy was successfully performed earlier this month at Army Hospital Research and Referral (AHRR), New Delhi. And this was possible using the first indigenous Ruthenium 106 plaque from Bhabha Atomic Research center (BARC).

According to the Indian Army, “the R&R Hospital became the second government hospital in the country to achieve this landmark and is going to benefit ocular oncology patients in future. This therapy at the R&R is meant for the Indian Armed Forces and through this procedure their eyes can be saved and their vision preserved.”

Adding, “For the first time, this procedure was successfully carried out at the Eye department of AHRR. In fact very few government institutes in India have facilities for this procedure in the country.”

More about the therapy

Plaque Brachytherapy is a sophisticated and localized radiation therapy for treatment of recurrent retinoblastoma, as it provides focused treatment of eye cancer without damaging the surrounding normal structure.

Over the years, the line of treatment for Ocular Tumors has undergone huge change and now the patients prefer minimally invasive technologies over traditional enucleation.

For Ocular tumors, the main aim is to first save the patient and the next step is to salvage the eye and to preserve the vision as much as possible.

The breakthrough at AHRR

This new and sophisticated procedure was carried out on a 4 year old boy earlier this month in Army Hospital Research and Referral. He had lost his left eye due to retinoblastoma and was not responding to chemotherapy and his right eye too was getting affected. The patient was at a risk of losing his vision despite receiving several rounds of chemotherapy and cryotherapy.

Efforts of those behind the therapy

This therapy was done in collaboration with the radiation oncology department and under the supervision of Head of Department (HOD) Ophthalmology AHRR, Col SK Mishra, Ocular Oncologist Lt Col Sonali Vinay Kumar.

And this could not have been possible without Lt Col Ashok Kumar, HOD radiation oncology unit and scientist Dr Manoj K Semwal who played the most critical role – he procured the first indigenous Ruthenium 106 plaque from Bhabha Atomic Research center (BARC).

“It was because of the efforts of the Commandant, Deputy Commandant and HOD Department of Anesthesia that this facility at the AHRR was started,” said the Indian Army.