SPACEOAR HYDROGEL PROCEDURE
MINIMISING SIDE EFFECTS, PROTECTING QUALITY OF LIFE DURING RADIOTHERAPY
SpaceOAR Hydrogel is clinically proven to reduce urinary, bowel, and sexual side effects by protecting healthy tissue—particularly the rectum—during high-dose radiation treatments like Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) , Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT), or Proton Beam Therapy (PBT). By creating space between the prostate and rectum, it helps preserve quality of life throughout prostate cancer treatment.
HOW IT WORKS
​This procedure is done under local anaesthesia, and typically takes less than an hour. Guided by an ultrasound probe, sterile saline is injected to open up the space between the rectum and the prostate, followed by injection of the Spaceoar Rectal Spacer gel between the prostate and rectum, creating about 1 cm of space. This effectively pushes the rectum away from the high‑dose radiation.
BIODEGRADABLE & SAFE
Composed mostly of water, the gel remains in place for approximately 3 months before naturally dissolving and being absorbed within 6 months.
PROCEDURE
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Short outpatient procedure
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Performed under local anaesthesia
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No hospital stay required
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Most patients resume normal activities the same day
In 2021, AARO became the first in Singapore’s private oncology sector to perform the SpaceOAR procedure—underscoring our commitment to pioneering advanced techniques that enhance prostate cancer care.
Today, SpaceOAR Hydrogel is routinely incorporated into SBRT planning at AARO, when clinically appropriate—enhancing treatment precision while minimizing side effects and preserving patients’ quality of life
DR JONATHAN TEH YI HUI
Medical Director (CSR), Senior Consultant Radiation Oncologist
MBBS (SIN), FRCR (Clinical Oncology, UK), FAMS (Radiation Oncology)
Dr. Jonthan Teh is Medical Director and Senior Consultant Radiation Oncologist at Centre for Stereotactic Radiosurgery (CSR), bringing with him over 20 years of experience in cancer care. Previously a Consultant Radiation Oncologist at the National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS), He was the principal investigator of a phase II trial in stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy (SBRT) for low-intermediate risk prostate cancer from 2013 to 2017, which was Southeast Asia’s first trial of this non-invasive treatment technique for prostate cancer. He is a first co-author of the publication documenting the efficacy and safety of prostate SBRT in the Singapore population in the Asia-Pacific Journal of Clinical Oncology.A leading expert in the treatment of prostate cancers, he is deeply committed to delivering precise, compassionate care to each of his patients.
DR DANIEL TAN YAT HARN (PBM)
Director, Senior Consultant Radiation Oncologist
MBBS (SIN), FRCR (Clinical Oncology, UK), FAMS (Radiation Oncology),
MBA (Healthcare Management)
Dr. Daniel Tan is Medical Director and Senior Consultant Radiation Oncologist at Centre for Stereotactic Radiosurgery (CSR), bringing with him over 20 years of experience in cancer care. Previously a Consultant Radiation Oncologist at the National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS), he was instrumental in developing the region’s first advanced Spine, Prostate, and Liver SRS/SBRT programs, pioneering their introduction in Southeast Asia. Dr Daniel’s radiosurgery expertise extends beyond the shores of Singapore. In June 2024, Dr Daniel was elected to the Board of Directors of the International Stereotactic Radiosurgery Society (ISRS), the world’s largest radiosurgery professional organisation.
