In many cases, interventional radiologists can open blocked or narrowed blood vessels caused by peripheral arterial disease or other conditions. In some patients, high blood pressure is caused by a blockage to the artery to the kidney, a condition known as renal vascular hypertension. Interventional radiologists can often treat blocked blood vessels without surgery. In most cases, hospitalization and general anesthesia are not required. There is no incision - just a small nick in the skin - and no stitches are required. Often, patients may return to normal activity shortly after the procedure.
During angioplasty, the interventional radiologist inserts a very small balloon attached to a thin tube (catheter) into a blood vessel through a small incision. The catheter is threaded under X-ray guidance to the site of the blocked artery. The balloon is inflated to open the artery. A small metal scaffold/tube, called a stent, is sometimes inserted to hold the blood vessel open.
Thrombolytic therapy is used if the blockage in an artery is caused by a blood clot. Thrombolytic drugs that dissolve clots are injected through a catheter to eliminate the clot and restore the blood flow.
For further information, links are listed below to detailed descriptions of the most common interventional radiology procedures performed at the S. Mark Taper Foundation Imaging Center.
