Interventional Radiology

Embolisation is a well-established interventional radiology technique that is used, amongst others, to treat trauma victims with massive bleeding, to control epistaxis (nose bleeds) that does not respond to conventional therapy and as a treatment prior to surgery to decrease blood loss.

The interventional radiologist makes a tiny nick in the skin and inserts a catheter into the artery. Using real-time fluoroscopy, the radiologist guides the catheter through the artery and then releases clotting agents (coils, particles, gelfoam) into the blood vessels to slow the blood flow and stop the hemorrhage from the inside.