INTERVENTIONAL RADIOLOGY, The Pinhole Alternative to Open Surgery

What is Interventional Radiology?
A radiology superspeciality, wherein the Interventional radiologist uses advanced imaging modalities like CT, MRI, DSA, USG to simultaneously evaluate, diagnose and plan the treatment
Interventional radiology (IR) therapies are accomplished employing tiny tubes (catheters) and hair thin microwires inserted in the groin/ wrist area through a pinhole. Under X-ray guidance, these are navigated through the blood vessels leading into the brain, spine, liver, bowel, lungs etc. Majority of these procedures are done by staying within the blood vessel (often termed Endovascular surgery/ Endovascular Neuro surgery) and achieve results similar/often better than open surgery making them safer and better alternatives to conventional open surgeries.
Some of the therapies that can be offered by interventional radiology (IR):
Mechanical thrombectomy (Clot removal): Tiny devices, tubes (catheters) are delivered directly to the site of the blocked artery to successfully remove the clot in conditions like brain stroke, clots in arteries of leg etc.
Coiling of Aneurysm (Vessel bulge / ballooning) is by inserting platinum coils into the aneurysm to prevent/treat their rupture in cases of brain hemorrhage (without opening the skull). This treatment is also offered for aneurysm in other blood vessels of body in limbs, abdomen, lungs etc..
Stenting and angioplasty: In case stenosis (blocked vessels) in the brain, neck, abdomen, lower limbs to restore/improve blood flow to the organ affected.
Embolisation: This involves injecting specliased drugs called embolic agents into the blood vessel to Close/seal it in conditions like AVM-Abnormally developed vessel connections (in the brain, spine, lungs, kidneys, limbs),Tumors(to decrease their blood supply, thus halt their growth),life threatening bleeding (by sealing bleeding blood vessels in various organs of body to stop the bleeding).
Pain Management: Treat painful conditions of face, chronic headaches, joints by using new therapies to target nerves, and painful spinal conditions like fracture, disc prolapse by injecting cement into a fractured vertebra in order to reinforce the bone, inject drugs to treat the pain due to prolapsed disc.
Biopsy and Drainage: Under image guidance small pieces of tumor are taken for diagnosis and to help plan further treatment. Specialised tubes called catheters are placed in the infected fluid collections in lung, liver, abdomen etc as a part of treatment.
Why IR over open surgery?
Minimally invasive procedures are performed through a pinhole in the skin, minimising patient’s pain, discomfort and recovery time when compared to conventional surgeries.
As interventional procedures tend to require only local anaesthesia, hospital stays are very short, with patients frequently going home the day the procedure is performed.
Further, the techniques can be used in very sick patients, otherwise unfit for surgery
Interventional radiology focuses on all diseases irrespective of the affected area, right from head to the foot and thus covers major abnormalities of brain, nerves, spine, lungs, heart, blood vessels, liver and kidneys.
Dr. Shahyan Mohsin Siddiqui
M.D.,D.M. (NIMHANS)
Consultant Neuro & Interventional Radiologist
Star Hospitals
For Appointments, Call: 040 4477 7777