liver-embolisation

De-Livering Tumours With Embolisation

If you’ve known anyone with liver cancer, you may know it can be a tricky cancer to treat. Often by the time it’s diagnosed, it has progressed so far it cannot be removed surgically. However, there are still options for treatment, thanks to Interventional Radiology. In fact, Interventional Radiology may also enable “non-operative” patients to become operative candidates Embolisation for liver cancer: How it works Embolisation is a liver cancer treatment that shrinks tumours by using their blood supply against them. The procedure has been successful in patients who have inoperable primary (arising from the liver) or secondary (spreading to the liver from another location) tumours, as well as patients who need a break between chemotherapy treatments. Embolization involves injecting substances into the blood ... READ MORE
Pelvic-pain-sydney

DO NOT SUFFER PELVIC PAIN IN VEIN

Many women experience some form of pelvic pain at some time in their lives. But when that pain becomes chronic and debilitating, a condition called pelvic congestion syndrome may be the culprit. Pelvic congestion syndrome is a condition associated with a dull ache in the pelvic area that increases at certain times such as during menstruation, during or following intercourse, or after physically strenuous activities. The condition often develops in women who have previously given birth. This women’s health issue affects millions of women worldwide, yet is largely under-diagnosed and sadly under-treated. Many women with pelvic congestion syndrome endure frustrating years of suffering unnecessarily. Fortunately, as with a growing number of medical conditions, there’s a minimally invasive, image-guided procedure (MIIP) ... READ MORE
pre embolisation

Fibroid Embolisation vs Hysterectomy: What’s the Bleeding Difference?

Uterine fibroids are benign tumours that can cause heavy menstrual bleeding, bloating, pelvic pain, and urinary problems. If you wanted to have uterine fibroids removed 30 years ago, hysterectomy would have been your only option. That meant open surgery, risk of heavy blood loss and/or infection, and a 6-8 week recovery process. Fortunately, these days minimally invasive treatment options exist that offer faster recovery times and less disruption of your daily life. Let’s quickly look at the differences between an abdominal hysterectomy and uterine fibroid embolisation. Knowing the difference might help you make a more informed choice about which treatment is right for you. Abdominal Hysterectomy An abdominal hysterectomy is a certain and permanent solution for getting rid of fibroids. ... READ MORE
1804-024-Min-Invasive-Infographic_P2

Time For a Medical Intervention? Here’s How Radiology Can Help You

What if I told you that cancer, stroke, heart disease and many more conditions could be successfully operated on through a single pinhole-sized incision? It may sound like science fiction, but Interventional Radiology is removing the need for many traditionally invasive surgeries. Every day at my Sydney practice, I treat a range of problems using a tiny vein catheter, using imaging for guidance. Patients who once faced lengthy (and painful) recovery times can now be sent home the same day with just a Panadol and a Band-Aid. Personally, I think that’s pretty exciting. If you ever find yourself in need of surgery, you will too! Many people have never heard of Interventional Radiology. But the specialty is regularly breaking new ground to ... READ MORE
serena williams_sydney medical interventions

Venous Williams: Serena’s Incredible Untold Story Behind the Australian Open

The Australian Open Tournament had its share of amazing stories this year. It was Roger Federer’s 20th Slam, Wozniaki’s first slam…but do you know of the most incredible story behind this year’s Australian Open? Whether you’re a tennis fan or not, chances are you’ve heard of Serena Williams. You’ve probably even heard of her pregnancy – during which she WON a Grand Slam. This is incredible enough, but what most people don’t know about Serena’s pregnancy is that she developed potentially life-threatening blood clots after giving birth. Blood clots in the deep veins (deep venous thrombosis, or DVTs) are common in pregnant women due to factors including hormonal changes in their bodies, the uterus pressing on veins in their legs, ... READ MORE
sydney-medical-interventions-e1517450661501

Take My Breath Away: How Caval Filters Prevent Pulmonary Embolism

The sources of these clots most often arise from deep venous thrombosis (DVT), arising from the deep veins of the lower extremity. The treatment for this condition is normally to be placed on blood thinners (anticoagulation). Interventional Radiology is a speciality practised by Endovascular and Interventional Radiologist specialist Dr Albert Goh. It’s a minimally invasive procedure that uses small skin punctures to guide catheters inside the body, as opposed to open surgery that requires large cuts. This particular procedure involved making a small needle puncture in a vein in the patient’s groin and then deploying a filter in the largest vein in the abdomen above the patient’s DVTs. Once in place, the filter expanded and attached itself to the walls ... READ MORE
male-infertility-sydney

INCONCEIVABLE! – How Interventional Radiology Can Help Infertile Men

Did you know that around 1 in 20 Australian men are infertile? While there are many issues that can cause infertility in men, one common cause is a problem with sperm production. That is, either you’re not producing enough healthy sperm, or something is impairing sperm motility. In a large percentage of infertile men, this reproductive issue is linked with the presence of varicocoeles. The good news is that thanks to interventional radiology, varicocoeles can be treated to improve healthy sperm count. Let’s quickly explore what varicocoeles are, how they can inhibit fertility, and what you can do about them. What is a varicocoele? A varicocoele is a collection of abnormally dilated veins in the scrotum. In healthy veins, one-way ... READ MORE
DSA splenic aneurysm

Getting the Sac: Insights into aneurysm treatment

It was a privilege to be the invited speaker to kick off the state MINA meeting today. Ever been in a room full of people where you just click? That was the experience today. We all know the amazing things that Interventional Radiology can offer people. We all know the things that are possible with minimally invasive technology. We all know that these possibilities are under-utilised and much of this is due to the lack of awareness, both in the general public and even amongst the medical community. All in the room were passionate about the specialty and passionate about educating and delivering these innovations to their patients. Aneurysms are often a silent, and potentially life-threatening condition. In the past, the treatments ... READ MORE
ureteric-stent-inserteion_Interventional-Radiology

Wee can make a difference: Kidney Disease and Interventional Radiology – What You Need to Know

Do you have a friend that just seems amazing at everything? Accomplished at their job, a loving spouse, a great parent, a good cook, very handy, a keen gardener, athletic, musical and a nice person to boot? Do you ever wonder how they do it all? Ever thought about your kidneys the same way? Simple-looking organs they may be, but in truth they are far more complex than their bean-like appearance would suggest. They do more than just produce urine. Often regarded as the ultimate multi-taskers, kidneys are involved in a wide range of bodily functions including circulation, filtration, hormone production, blood pressure regulation, acid-base balance and waste excretion. Phew, that is quite the list of job duties! Like all ... READ MORE