Hemodialysis Treatment

In this technique, the interventional radiologist inserts a very small balloon attached to a thin catheter into a blood vessel through a small nick in the skin. Under fluoroscopy “real-time” guidance, the catheter is threaded to the site of the blocked artery. The balloon is inflated to open the artery. Sometimes, a small metal scaffold, called a stent, is inserted to keep the blood vessel open.

This procedure is designed to rapidly break up the clot, restore blood flow within the vein, and potentially preserves valve function to minimize the risk of post-thrombotic syndrome.

Thrombolysis is used with IVC filter placement, to ensure that none of the clot lodges in the lungs. A catheter is inserted behind the knee and is sent into the vein containing the clot using imaging guidance. The catheter tip is placed into the clot and a “clot-busting” drug is infused directly into the clot.

Thrombectomy is used to target the clot directly and remove it from the body. Using fluoroscopy “real-time” guidance, a small catheter is inserted directly into the clot and a high-speed water jet is used to create a vacuum effect and pull the clot into the catheter where it is broken into tiny pieces. The fragments are then propelled through the catheter and out of the body. This quickly restores blood flow, resolves symptoms, and removes the clot from the body.