Interventional Radiology Procedures

     Interventional radiology is a division of radiology that focuses on using body imaging techniques to perform minimally invasive medical procedures to treat specific diseases and medical conditions.  These are quickly becoming popular due to their effectiveness, the reduction of body trauma, and the speed of recovery.  Where open surgery may require weeks or months to heal from, minimally invasive medical procedures can heal in a matter of days, with the patients quality of life improving almost immediately.  Interventional radiology is quickly becoming more popular than many of the traditional invasive medical procedures.

     There are currently interventional radiology procedures to treat everything from vein and circulatory issues to the treatment of torn muscles and damaged bones.  With most interventional radiology procedures, these types of medical imaging techniques are used to assist the doctor in the guiding of medical instruments to the area in need of treatment.

• Fluoroscope-  This is an x-ray imaging technique that creates a live-action image.  The imaged area can be seen in real time, which allows the doctor a set of eyes on the inside of the body.  This does use safe levels of radiation.  More modern types of fluoroscopy involve the transfer of x-ray images into a digital picture which can be used by the operating doctors more easily.
  
  
• Ultrasound-  This is used in specific type of interventional radiology procedures, but is much less common than the fluoroscope.  An ultrasound uses sound waves and their reflection to create a live-action image of the body's internal structures.

     With the aid of these two medical imaging techniques, several conditions can be easily and efficiently treated.  Here are just a few examples of the more common interventional radiology procedures performed today.

Arterial Stenting

     Arteries are the vital pathways of the circulatory system that allow oxygen and nutrient rich blood travel to various parts of the body.  People become high risk for a number of medical conditions if arteries start to get blocked.  Arterial blockage can occur from a number conditions, including high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and diabetes.  Plaque, a yellow substance that can build-up on the normally smooth arterial walls, can start of obstruct the flow of blood, further increasing blood pressure and increasing the chance for events such as heart attack and stroke.  There is currently a minimally invasive interventional radiology procedure that is used to treat blocked arteries.

     Stenting involves a small incision being made in the area of the artery, and a catheter being fed into the area of the blockage.  Once there, a medical balloon is expanded to restore the blood vessel to its original size.  A stent, a tubular piece of wire or plastic, is then put into place to hold the blood vessel at this size.  The balloon is then deflated and the catheter is removed.  This stent will continue to hold open the blood vessel, decreasing blood pressure and almost instantly reducing the chance of stroke and a heart attack.  The medical instruments are guided to the location through the aid of a fluoroscope.  This procedure has quickly replaced common open surgery used to correct the same problem.

Treatment Of Varicose Veins

     Varicose veins are the unsightly, bulging veins that most people develop in the legs and arms.  They are created thanks to the valve system of the vein failing, allows blood to back flow and pool, expanding the size of the blood vessel.  While they are normally only a cosmetic issue, problematic symptoms can develop, leading to a need for medical treatment.  The older treatment, vein stripping, involve the area being opened up and the vein literally being stripped out.  This would often lead to a long recovery period and severe scarring.  New interventional radiology procedures have been developed for the treatment of large, problematic varicose veins.

     Endovenous laser ablation is quickly replacing vein stripping.  The entire procedure can be performed in under an hour, and results are often seen within a few weeks.  This procedure has been proved to be between 95 and 100 percent effective.  A small incision is made after the problem vein has been accurately identified through the use of various types of medical imaging techniques.  A fluroscope is used to guide a catheter to the end of the problem vein, or to the point where the valve issues being.  Once the catheter has arrived to this point, a laser heat source is turned on, and the catheter is slowly removed.  The heat source seals the vein as it is removed, preventing the flow of blood from returning through the blood vessel.  This eliminate the varicose vein, and the blood flow is picked up by other veins and blood vessels in the body in that area.  Once the catheter reaches the end of the blood vessel, the heat source is turned off and it is removed.  The small incision is stitched up and the procedure is complete.  This interventional radiology procedure can be performed in your doctor's office in about an hour, primarily depending on the length of the vein being treated.

    Most patients will get almost instant relief from symptoms, with the sight of the vein disappearing within a few weeks.

Vertebroplasty

     Vertebrae, the bones of the spinal column, can become damaged due to extreme trauma or various medical conditions that weaken bone structure, like osteoporosis.  When these bones break or fracture, the spinal cord is then vulnerable to damage, and repair the bone itself becomes a high priority.  In most cases, surgery and the insertion of metal plates and screws were the only real option for treating damaged vertebrae, but newer minimally invasive interventional radiology procedures have provided patients with a less traumatic treatment option.

     Vertebroplasty is just one of these types of medical procedures.  Under localized anesthetic and the assistance of a fluoroscope, a cocktail straw size needle is guided to the locations of the damage.  Once in place, bone cement is fed through this needle, filling the damaged area.  This bone cement hardens after only a few minutes, restoring strength and structure to the damaged vertebra.

     This procedure has been used with great success in France for many years, recently becoming more popular in the United States.  The success rate for this procedure is as high as 90 percent, which most patients experiencing complete relief and a restoration of back strength within 48 hours.  The majority of patients are allowed to go home only a few hours after the procedure is complete.

     These are numerous other interventional radiology procedures, but these illustrate just how far the advances in this field have gone.  These types of treatments are commonly being used to research a number of other medical procedures that can be used to treat additional conditions safely and effectively.

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