The conversion of air splints to provide buildup bolus in the treatment of extremities with skin involvement.

ABSTRACT

An alternate method for bolusing superficial skin lesions of extremities during photon beam treatment was reviewed. Emergency first-aid air splints were filled with water and used as bolus in the treatment of a Kaposi's sarcoma of the leg. Large parallel-opposed 6-MV photon beams were employed. Sheets of bolus were placed under the air splint bolus to ensure coverage of the posterior skin surface. Computerized tomography was performed demonstrating conformity of the air splint bolus to the leg. A diode measurement verified adequate dose to the skin. The results confirm that by adding water to an emergency first-aid air splint to use as bolus was practical, reproducible, and aided in the accurate delivery of a homogenous dose to the skin surface of involved extremities.