Interventional radiology uses high-tech image guidance equipment to carry out pinhole surgery, to treat patients and reduce side effects.
Pinhole surgery involves making a tiny incision, so that tiny wires and catheters can be guided through the body to deliver treatment right to where it’s needed. These minimally invasive procedures mean that patients can be in and out of hospital in a matter of hours, as day case procedures. The surgery is used with both a curative intent and to improve the quality of life of patients being treated palliatively to improve things like kidney function or the ability to swallow & eat more normally.
As part of our Integrated Procedures Unit (IPU) we are looking to provide further interventional radiology capacity in a second room, so that even more patients can benefit from the very latest image-guided surgery. We hope to soon offer patients access to an advanced 3D intervention system. This machine offers incredibly accurate, image-guided pinhole surgery.
State-of-the-art imaging techniques can road map a patient’s entire body with incredibly accurate 3D images. This allows interventional radiologists to deliver treatments to the exact places they need to go. The machine’s ultra-fast rotation means that even the most complex treatments can be carried out more quickly than before. This requires great precision and skill. With a new 3D intervention system, we will have the very latest imaging technology enabling us to push the boundaries of targeted therapy