At the Department of Interventional Radiology of Sri Ramakrishna Hospital, our interventional radiologist works with neurologists and neurosurgeons to treat brain aneurysms. One of the most advanced treatments for brain aneurysms is endovascular coiling. The procedure involves first making a pinhole in the groin of the patient. Then, through the, pinhole a catheter is guided to the location of the aneurysm. A material which clearly highlights contrast is injected through the catheter. This gives the interventional radiologist a clear view of the aneurysm. With a clear view of the aneurysm, the physician goes to work. Thin metal wires (platinum coils) are used to fill the aneurysm. As the wires fill it, they coil into a ball of wire mesh (which gives it the name) which effectively occlude the aneurysm sometimes with the help of either stents (mesh tubes) or balloons. Endovascular coiling allows patients to recover in far less time. On average the patient is discharged from hospital within 10 days, instead of the 2-3 weeks it usually takes using the traditional method of surgery.
Endosvascular embolisation (EE) is an alternative to open surgery. It is used to treat blood vessels which are abnormal. It essentially blocks off the flow of blood to affected parts of the body. EE is recommended in instances of brain aneurysms, abnormal growths of the circulatory system, uterine fibroids and so on. First the interventional radiologist creates a pin hole in the groin. A catheter is inserted into the femoral artery and is then guided through the body using X-rays. Once the catheter reaches at the site of the abnormality a material is injected to the site. This material seals off the blood vessel. There are many materials which are used ranging from glues to foam to metal coils to balloons and so on. Usage of the material is based on the condition and is determined by the interventional radiologist accordingly. The Department of Interventional Radiology has used endovascular embolisation to great effect in thousands of patients over the years.
An angioplasty is a minimally invasive procedure where a balloon is inserted into a blood vessel in order to open the blocks which are inhibiting the flow of blood. When an angioplasty is completed, it may be followed by a procedure known as stenting. A stent is a metal scaffold which prevents the re-occurence of the blockage at the site. A catheter is inserted and guided to the location of the block and a stent is installed without any trauma to the body. The Department of Interventional Radiology at Sri Ramakrishna Hospital has been performing this elegant procedure for decades with excellent outcomes.
Endovascular stent grafting is among the latest treatments for abdominal aortic aneurysms. It is a minimally invasive procedure which has been used with excellent results here at the Department of Interventional Radiology of Sri Ramakrishna Hospital. In this procedure, an endovascular stent graft is placed inside the abdominal aorta at the site of the aneurysm. This helps prevent the rupturing of the aneurysm. The stent graft is carried to the location of the aneurysm by a delivery catheter which is specially designed for the purpose. An incision is made in the groin and the catheter inserted. It is then guided to the site using advanced imaging techniques. The stent graft is deployed to the area by the interventional radiologist and then the catheter is withdrawn.
Embolisation is the procedure where a material (glue, foam, metal coils and so on) is used to block off blood supply to a part of the body. It may be used to cut off blood supply to a tumour, to arrest its growth. Sometimes chemotherapy drugs may be combined with the material used to the stop blood flow. This procedure is known as chemoembolisation and it is used to target tumours with great accuracy. One type of chemoembolisation is transarterial chemoembolisation or TACE. In this particular case, the materials and drugs are introduced into the hepatic artery in order to combat liver cancer. TACE is used as a treatment in a number of cases of liver cancer with certain specific conditions.
Ablation means the removal of tissue. Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA) is a minimally invasive image guided technique where heat is generated at different parts of the body in order to achieve a desired result. It may be used on tissue or tumour or nerves. Physicians at the Department of Interventional Radiology have found radio frequency ablation to have excellent outcomes.