Interventional Radiology

Home » Treatments » Interventional Radiology

Interventional radiology uses groundbreaking and versatile techniques like embolization
for life-changing alternatives to diagnosing and treating a wide range of conditions.

Treatment Options

Embolization is at the forefront of medical innovation, revolutionizing treatment options
for health issues that once trequired major surgery, such as:

Vascular & Artery
Conditions

Osteoarthritis
& Joint Pain

Spinal Compression
Fractures

Interventional radiology is not limited to certain treatments. Anything from arthritis to tumors can be treated or managed
with this approach, because many conditions involve vascular access points in the body. The potential is vast. Additional
uses of interventional radiology and embolization include:

Aneurysms

Recent breakthroughs in technology have opened up even more treatment options,
which means that more options for patients can be on the horizon.

FAQs About IR & Embolization

Why should I choose embolization?

Embolization presents a transformative shift in medical care, offering numerous advantages:

Minimally Invasive: No major incisions, reducing recovery time and minimizing risks associated with surgery.
Preservation of Healthy Tissues: Targets specific areas, preserving surrounding healthy tissues. The magic of the treatment happens through very small incisions, so recovery is much faster.
Outpatient Care: Often performed as an outpatient procedure, allowing patients to return home the same day. As an added benefit, doctors are able to spend more time with patients and provide more personalized care in an outpatient setting.
Reduced Complications: Lower risk of complications compared to traditional and major surgeries.

What is embolization?

Simply put, embolization stops blood supply to a targeted area, resulting in a loss of oxygen to the targeted tissue. The blood supply is stopped with soft coil plugs or with injections made up of millions of tiny particles. The end result is shrunken tissue. In some cases, the targeted tissue is completely gone.

Is anesthesia required?

IR procedures do not rely on general anesthesia like traditional surgery—instead, providers use light sedation or numbing agents to offer comfort. This eliminates risk of anesthetic complications and also allows patients to go home more quickly after treatment.

What is recovery like?

Your recovery length will depend on your exact area of concern, but most patients can resume their normal activities in just a few days.

What is interventional radiology?

This specialized medical field focuses on the use of minimally invasive techniques to diagnose and treat different conditions. Imaging technologies like CT scans, x-rays, ultrasounds, and fluoroscopy are used to guide the procedures in an incomparably precise way.

Is this a new area of medicine?

Interventional radiology is not a new technique. It was developed as a result of the advances in diagnostic imaging methods. However interventional radiology has continued to grow and develop into a modern and innovative option for treatment over traditional surgery.

Experience Life-Changing Solutions with Interventional Radiology

Embrace the future of medical care through interventional radiology and the transformative power of embolization. Take the first step towards non-surgical, effective treatments that prioritize your well-being. These procedures have transformed the way that we view and treat certain diseases. If you have been told that you are not a candidate for surgery, or if you prefer to avoid more invasive surgery, endovascular intervention offers treatment options with shorter recovery times and reduced complications.

Experience Life-Changing Solutions with Interventional Radiology

Using the Vascular Network

Interventional radiology is a remarkable medical sub-specialty that utilizes minimally-invasive, image-guided procedures to diagnose and treat a wide range of conditions via the body’s vascular network.

There is a growing need for safer, cost-effective, and efficient healthcare, and few methods
offer the same versatility and precision found with interventional radiology.

Treatment Options

Vascular & Artery Conditions

Peripheral vascular disease (PVD) occurs when arteries become narrow or blocked. It most commonly develops in the legs and can contribute to hindered mobility, weakness, and numbness. In cases of PAD, embolization is an alternative to stenting or angioplasty and can help by blocking abnormal blood vessels or treating arteriovenous malformations, improving blood flow, increasing mobility, and reducing other associated symptoms.

Peripheral artery disease and vascular malformations can also be treated with embolization, which can stop arterial bleeding or re-direct blood flow.

Osteoarthritis & Joint Pain

Embolization techniques are being explored for certain joint conditions and osteoarthritis (characterized by the wearing down of protective carriage that cushions the ends of the bones), especially when it comes to avoiding or delaying the need for joint replacement surgery. Joint replacement surgeries have traditionally been relied on for severe cases of arthritis and joint pain, but replacing the joint is a major surgery with a long recovery time. Embolization, on the other hand, preserves healthy joint tissue and targets only specific blood vessels that are contributing to pain, stiffness, inflammation, or reduced range of motion.

One of the most common areas affected by osteoarthritis is the knee joint. Embolization for knee pain is called Genicular Artery Embolization (GAE), and it involves reducing blood flow to the genicular arteries that supply blood to the knee joint. As a result, inflammation in the synovium (the lining of the knee) is prevented, and the nerve signals associated with pain are reduced. Embolization can also be used to treat frozen shoulder syndrome (also known as adhesive captulitis) and other types of degenerative joint disease. Patients may be a candidate if they have not had relief from conservative therapies or if they are not a candidate for joint replacement.

Spinal Compression Fractures

Spinal compression fractures, which can be caused by tumors, trauma, or osteoporosis, can lead to sudden and severe back pain and limited mobility. The compression fracture may cause the vertebrae to be compressed or collapsed.

With the help of interventional radiology, some patients find relief with an outpatient procedure called kyphoplasty, which involves inflating small balloon inside the vertebra to create additional space for bone cement. This new stability often gives patients a return to a life free of back pain.

Aneurysms

Embolization plays a pivotal role in treating aneurysms by sealing off blood flow to weakened blood vessel areas, reducing the risk of rupture and associated complications.

Get back to the things you love.

Book Appointment