On the occasion of the Clinical Interventional Radiology Conference (CIRCON) 2023, Dr. Reddi Prasad Yadavali, Chairman, HOD & Consultant – Interventional Radiology, Manipal Hospital Old Airport Road, spoke extensively about different types of IR procedures used to treat both benign disease and cancer with the help of advanced technology. The conference also highlighted the role of IR in the pre and post-operative care of patients in treating both early and advanced-stage cancer.

Interventional Radiology (IR) is one of the rapidly growing medical specialties that enables medical professionals to perform pin-hole procedures to diagnose, treat, and cure a range of illnesses using minimally invasive techniques. IR can treat a wide range of conditions such as Uterine fibroids, enlarged prostate, dialysis access, thyroid nodules, hemoptysis (coughing up blood), varicose veins in the legs, liver and kidney cancers, pelvic congestion syndrome, etc. Although IR was first developed in the 1960s, it has taken some time to evolve and get recognition as a super-specialty around the world.

Interventional Radiologists at Manipal Hospitals have been part of many breakthrough procedures to treat cancers, fibroids, dialysis access, arterial diseases, and other many rare conditions. The scope of services of Interventional Radiology includes all organs of the body. The most well-known and largely preferred alternate method used to treat Uterine fibroid is a pin-hole technique called embolisation.

Dr. Reddi Prasad Yadavali, Chairman, HOD & Consultant – Interventional Radiology, Manipal Hospital Old Airport Road, said, “Application of Interventional Radiology is increasing rapidly around the globe. Over the years there has been a steady growth of IR in India. With increasing number of training programmes and official recognition of IR as a superspecialty, there has been an expansion in the practice of Interventional Radiology in our country. Today it has become an integral part of clinical management of patients with any disease either benign or cancer.

One of the successful cases performed by Dr Reddi Prasad is of Ms Rashmi a 45-year-old lady who was diagnosed with a large fibroid uterus. As the patient was keen to save her uterus, Dr. Reddi Prasad along with his team decided to perform embolisation, pin-hole procedure. In this technique, a catheter is inserted through a small incision into the uterine artery, blocking the blood flow to the fibroids. This led to the shrinking of the fibroid and complete resolution of symptoms. This process helped her recover quicker and resume here routine activities sooner as her pain disappeared within a week.

Although Interventional Radiology is relatively new in modern medicine, it is rapidly evolving. With the help of image-guided procedures, Interventional Radiologists can diagnose various

complex diseases and treat patients using minimally invasive techniques. It is very beneficial for patients as it is cost-effective, there is no scar, the pain, blood loss and risk of infection and recovery time are less. Minimal access and Maximal results, aptly summarises role of Interventional Radiology.