Nursing experience of interstitial 125I implantation applied in tongue cancer

Objective To explore the nursing method and keynotes of interstitial 125I implantation in treating tongue cancer, for improving the nursing quality. Methods To discuss and summarize the preoperative psychological support, skilled operation, postoperative observation and nursing, prevention of complications and radiation protection education in five cases of tongue cancer received CT-guided 125I interstitial implantation from Jun 2012 to Aug 2014. Results The operations in 5 patients were successful and the average number of seeds was 27.6. One patient had transient hemorrhage and two patients had dysphagia. All cases had CT scanned 1-4 months after the surgery and had followed-up visit for 6-25 months. No recurrence in the target area was found. Conclusions CT-guided 125I implantation is an effective and safe method for treating tongue cancer. It is a safe, reliable and minimally invasive surgery which is satisfying in controlling primary lesion and lymphatic metastasis in neck in a short term. For the success of the operation, it′s vitally important that the medical staff have goodoperation skills, preoperative preparation, phychological support for patients, precise cooperation and protective measures of X-rays as well as careful observation of the disease to prevent the complication. Key words: Tongue cancer; Radiotherapy; Interstitial 125I implantation; Nursing