Accurate and economical intracavitary endocurietherapy in the treatment of uterine cervix cancer.

A modified afterloading cervical applicator and intracavitary endocurietherapy application technique eliminates several problems associated with the Henschke cervical applicator, and conventional preloading technique. The Kumar cervical applicator minimizes patient discomfort, and improves patient mobility while reducing the tendency of the applicator to rotate during the 40 to 50 hours of uterine intracavitary endocurietherapy. The use of hygroscopic laminaria tent for gradual cervical dilatation in place of manual cervical dilatation, and the use of inflatable Foley balloon threaded onto the tandem instead of vaginal packing, to separate the 137Cesium sources away from the rectum and bladder, eliminate the need of general anesthesia for the majority of patients undergoing intracavitary endocurietherapy.