The Interventional Radiology Division was inaugurated at Kasturba Medical College and Hospital in Manipal recently.
H.S. Ballal, Pro-Chancellor of Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), who inaugurated it, said interventional radiology is a medical sub-specialty utilizing minimally-invasive image-guided procedures to diagnose and treat diseases in nearly every organ system. The main benefits of interventional radiology techniques are that they can reach the deep structures of the body through a body orifice or tiny incision using small needles and wires.
Prakashini, HOD, Radiology, said interventional radiology procedures have evolved as an alternative treatment to surgeries. It avoids blood loss, open surgeries, postoperative complications, and reduced morbidity. They involve only a needle puncture. Cerebral strokes can be treated with thrombolysis which results in complete recovery of the patient. Cerebral haemorrhage due to an aneurysm can be treated through coiling thus avoiding complex surgeries. In the latest state-of-the-art treatment in cancers, the medication is directly delivered to the tumour through arteries thereby avoiding systemic side effects and improving the efficacy of the treatment, she said.
Varicose veins can be treated without surgeries wherein the dilated veins are ablated under image guidance. There is zero blood loss and no need for hospitalisation. Uterine artery embolization is a uterus saving procedure wherein the large fibroid can be treated by embolising the feeding arteries which results in their shrinking, she said.
Life-saving embolisation procedures in cases of internal organ and post-partum haemorrhage are performed, she said.
Chief Operating Officer C.G. Muthana, Medical Superintendents Avinash Shetty and Anand Venugopal were among those who were present, a release from the hospital said.
