**Medical Application of Nonwoven Fabrics - Intraabdominal Spacers for Particle Therapy**

Ryohei Sasaki, Hiroaki Akasaka, Yusuke Demizu, Sachiko Inubushi, Tianyuan Wang and Takumi Fukumoto

Additional information is available at the end of the chapter

http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/61787

#### **Abstract**

The authors aimed to introduce a medical application for nonwoven fabric as spacers in particle therapy. Particle therapy, exhibiting more focused effects on target tissues, has emerged as a promising treatment modality. However, close proximity of tumor tissue and adjacent organs makes delivery of curative doses to the tumor difficult because severe radiation morbidities might occur. A method using surgically placed GORE-TEX sheets as a spacer has been reported. Although this method provides for separation of adjacent organs, the material is not resorbed. To overcome these anatomical and therapeutic difficulties, and to deliver effective radiation doses to treat upper abdominal tumors, we have developed a nonwoven fabric spacer composed of bioabsorbable suture material. The absorbable polyglycolic acid (PGA) spacer had water-equivalent, biocompatible, and thickness-retaining properties. Although further evaluation is warranted in a clinical setting, the PGA spacer may be effective to block particle beams and to separate normal tissues from the radiation field. These findings suggest that the nonwoven-fabric PGA spacer might become a useful device in particle therapy.

**Keywords:** Spacer, polyglycolic acid, pancreatic cancer, particle therapy, bioabsorbability
