SIR-Spheres® Y-90 resin microspheres
Risk and Potential Adverse Events
Almost all treatments and drugs produce potentially unwanted side effects.
Most side effects following a SIRT procedure are minor, making patients feel uncomfortable.
The common adverse events after receiving SIR-Spheres Y-90 resin microspheres are:
- Fever
- Mild to moderate abnormality of liver function tests
- Abdominal pain
- Nausea / vomiting
- Diarrhea
As a precaution, specific peri-procedural medications are prescribed to control these symptoms.
In rare instances, there is a possibility that microspheres may inadvertently reach other organs in the body - such as the pancreas, lungs, stomach, gallbladder or intestine - which can lead to potentially serious adverse events due to high radiation, such as:
- Acute pancreatitis
- Radiation pneumonitis
- Acute gastritis
- Acute cholecystitis
- Radioembolization-induced liver disease (REILD)
Patients should consult their doctor to understand the risks so they may consider the benefits of the treatment with the risks before making a decision.
For more information, please refer to the Package Insert under the page “Approved Indication”.
As patients will receive a radioactive treatment, there are some simple precautions that they need to take during the first 24 hours following the treatment. However, patients pose very limited radiation risk to medical staff, family, friends and the public due to minimal tissue penetration and decay of the beta radiation.