Eckert & Ziegler BEBIG brings first SagiNova® HDR afterloader to Nepal
The Ir-192 SagiNova® system, including the SagiPlan® treatment planning software and gynecological applicators, was installed by the Eckert & Ziegler BEBIG service team and successfully entered into operation last week. After six years without a working unit, the hospital Executive Director Dr. Bijaya Chandra Acharya is looking forward to offering the service again, with a focus on the treatment of gynecological cancers: "With around 10,000 cancer patients per year, we are one of the leading cancer centers in Nepal. Therefore, it is crucial for us to finally have a working HDR afterloader again."
About HDR brachytherapy
HDR brachytherapy allows radiation oncologists to deliver the radiation quickly, most often as an outpatient procedure. During this procedure a computer driven apparatus, called a remote afterloading device, pushes the radioactive source attached to a drive wire through transfer tubes and applicators to the treatment site. The radioactive source can be moved in millimeter increments and remain in a certain position (dwell position) for a predetermined amount of time to optimize the dose delivered. When the desired treatment dose has been achieved, the remote afterloading device automatically withdraws the radioactive source so there is no residual radiation or radioactivity.
HDR brachytherapy has been used since the 1960s and today is applied to treat cancers in body sites such as gynecological, rectal, prostate and breast. The procedure enables an accurate and precise tumor-specific radiation dose delivery in a shorter course of treatment compared to other types of radiation treatment modalities while preserving the structure and function of the organ(s) treated and nearby.
About B. P. Koirala Memorial Cancer Hospital (BPKMCH)
B. P. Koirala Memorial Cancer Hospital (BPKMCH) is the first national cancer center of its kind for the fight against cancer in Nepal. The requirement at the time was for a competent establishment that would be able to fulfill the needs of the people of Nepal. In a country rife with poverty, illiteracy, a harsh geographical terrain and an almost negligible access to basic health facilities, this institution is envisioned to bridge that gap. Although there are no national survey records, it is estimated that deaths due to cancer are approximately 120 per 100,000. The assumption is that there are 35,000 to 40,000 cancer patients in the country at any given time. BPKMCH provides high-quality services for the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and research on cancer, and aims to achieve self-reliance on human resources required for the same.
About Eckert & Ziegler BEBIG
My partner in brachytherapy and radiation therapy
Eckert & Ziegler BEBIG is a European-based group active in the medical device segment of the healthcare industry. Its core business is the production and distribution of medical products for the treatment of cancer, using brachytherapy. The company's headquarters are in Belgium, with production facilities in Germany and the USA, as well as subsidiaries throughout Europe, the USA, India and Brazil. In addition, Eckert & Ziegler BEBIG has a worldwide network of distributors and agents to support the international marketing and distribution of its product line. The company's products and equipment are intended for use by oncologists, radiotherapists, urologists, ophthalmologists and medical physicists.
Eckert & Ziegler BEBIG employs approximately 145 people. The company has been listed on the Euronext stock exchange since April 1997.
Contact:
Annica Witt
Marketing Communication Manager
marketing@bebig.com
www.bebig.com
