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Another Treatment Option for Reducing Prostate Cancer Side Effects The Cancer Center at Ascension Via Christi St. Francis now offers SpaceOAR, a system designed to reduce radiation therapy side effects in men undergoing prostate cancer treatment. SpaceOAR provides a layer of protection between the prostate and the rectum, helping eliminate or reduce rectal complications or side effects. When used together to treat prostate cancer, CyberKnife and SpaceOAR combine precision with extra protection, says David Bryant, MD, Medical Director for Radiation Oncology at Ascension Via Christi. Ascension Via Christi in Wichita has the area's only CyberKnife Center, a noninvasive alternative to surgery that delivers high-dose radiation with such precision that it can treat prostate cancer in five doses compared the 44 required by standard radiation therapy. "While the incidence of rectal complications with CyberKnife is extremely rare, the SpaceOAR system provides an extra assurance for men undergoing prostate cancer treatment," Dr. Bryant says. With the system, patients are injected with SpaceOAR hydrogel, a soft, gel-like material used to position the anterior rectal wall away from the pros- tate temporarily. "This creates a space to further protect the rectum during radiotherapy," Dr. Bryant says, adding that patients undergoing CyberKnife therapy both with or without SpaceOAR typically report no discomfort and can resume their normal activities immediately after treatment. For more information, visit viachristi.org/prostate-cancer. n Ascension Via Christi participated in two study protocols to prove the safety and effec- tiveness of the compound and was one of the top-enrolling sites in the U.S. for the studies that led to the approval, according to Mike Good, Director of Research for Ascension Via Christi Research. The University of Kansas School of Medicine–Wichita and its Center for Clinical Research, led by Matthew Macaluso, DO, also conducted some of the pivotal trials that sup - ported the approval of the new drug, accord- ing to a release from the medical school. The nasal spray, which acts within hours, is administered under medical supervision and can only be used in a certified doctor's office or clinic. Patients are monitored for at least two hours after receiving a dose. SECOND PHASE OF CONSTRUCTION STARTED AT WESLEY CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL Wesley Children's Hospital in Wichita kicked off its $20 million phase 2 construction and service expansion project in late February. During this phase, pediatric pharmacy and pediatric dialysis area will be created on the fifth floor, along with 14 additional pediatric beds for seda- tion, oncology and pediatric intensive care; five private infusion bays; a pediatric oncol- ogy prep room; and more space for child life programs and volunteers. ASCENSION VIA CHRISTI USING NEW DEVICE TO REDUCE STROKE RISK DURING TAVR PROCEDURES The structural heart team at Ascension Via Christ St. Francis is using the new recently FDA-cleared device known as the Sentinel Cerebral Protection System during the minimally invasive heart valve proce - dure known as transcatheter aortic valve replacement, or TAVR, to reduce stroke risk. During the TAVR procedure to replace the aortic valve in patients with aortic stenosis, embolic debris such as calcium or tissue can break loose and travel through the bloodstream toward the brain and potentially cause neurological and neurocognitive damage. NEWS FROM AROUND THE STATE Continued on page 18. Continued from page 05. David Bryant, MD, Medical Director for Radiation Oncology at Ascension Via Christi M D N E W S . C O M /// M D N E W S G R E AT E R K A N S A S ■ 2 019 1 5