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Understanding Prostate Cancer

Physician Q&A – Meet Dr. Geoffrey Kostiner

Meet Dr. Geoffrey B. Kostiner, Urologist and SpaceOAR Hydrogel applier, from Sentara Williamsburg Regional Medical Center & Tidewater Medical Center

Dr. B. Geoffrey Kostiner headshot.

How long have you been offering SpaceOAR Hydrogel for your prostate cancer patients?

Since October 2015

How many patients have you placed SpaceOAR Hydrogel in?

As of September 2018, over 150 patients in our Williamsburg, Virginia office and procedure suite.

What advice do you have for a patient who has recently been diagnosed with prostate cancer?

I explain to patients they do not need to feel pressured to make a treatment decision quickly and they should always feel comfortable seeking a second opinion.

What is the number one question you receive from patients after you’ve told them about SpaceOAR Hydrogel and how do you answer it?

Understandably, patients diagnosed with prostate cancer are concerned about treatment options.  It is a big decision, and sometimes I am their second opinion as they seek to understand all of their choices.  Even when I am the first physician they have talked with, they have spent a great deal of time speaking with friends and family and searching the internet for options.

The number one question the well-informed patient asks me is why aren’t all Urologists and Radiation Oncologists offering this complication-reducing, simple procedure?

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What made you choose your field of specialty?

I really enjoy the advantages that surgical urologic procedures provide my patients but I also enjoy getting to know my patients and establishing long-term meaningful relationships.  It is a matter of professional pride to me when they recommend me to their friends and family.

Where did you receive your education?

Undergraduate degree: Mechanical Engineering with a Minor in Management from McGill University in Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Medical School degree from the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center in Denver, Colorado

General Surgery and Urology training at Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia

Post graduated training on many new procedures, including SpaceOAR Hydrogel, throughout my 17-year career.

What is one thing you want patients to know about you?

I truly enjoy patient care and I take as much time as needed with each and every person.  I want everyone to leave my office with all of their questions answered and a sense of confidence not only in my abilities, but also in their decision for treatment.

When you aren’t working, how do you like to spend your time

Family, family, family, traveling, skiing, swimming, playing with my two dogs.

For All Frequently Asked Questions, Click Here

Geoffrey Kostiner, MD is a Boston Scientific consultant.

CAUTION: The U.S. Federal law restricts this device to sale by or on the order of a physician.  

CAUTION: The law restricts these devices to sale by or on the order of a physician. Indications, contraindications, warnings, and instructions for use can be found in the product labelling supplied with each device or at www.IFU-BSCI.com. Products shown for INFORMATION purposes only and may not be approved or for sale in certain countries. This material not intended for use in France.

SpaceOAR Hydrogel is intended to temporarily move the rectal wall away from the prostate during the course of radiotherapy treatment for prostate cancer, and in creating this space it is the intent of SpaceOAR Hydrogel to reduce the radiation dose affecting the rectum. 

SpaceOAR Hydrogel contains polyethylene glycol (PEG). As with any medical treatment, there are some risks involved with the use of SpaceOAR Hydrogel. Potential complications associated with SpaceOAR Hydrogel include, but are not limited to: pain associated with injection, pain or discomfort from the  hydrogel, site inflammation, infection (including abscess), inability to urinate, urgent need to urinate, constipation, rectal muscle spasm, damage to lining of rectum, ulcers, fistula (a hole between rectum and bladder, urethra, or skin below the scrotum), perforation (hole in prostate, bladder, urethra, rectum), necrosis (dead tissue), allergic reaction (local reaction or more severe reaction, such as anaphylaxis), embolism (blood vessel blockage is possible and may happen outside of the pelvis, potentially impacting vital organs or legs), fainting, and bleeding. Please talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits related to using SpaceOAR Hydrogel. If one or more of these complications occur, you may need medical treatment or surgery. URO-1288805-AA 

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URO-709904-AA JUN 2020