What is Interventional Radiology?
Interventional Radiology (IR) is a medical subspecialty where highly trained physicians use live imaging — including fluoroscopy (X-ray), ultrasound, CT, and MRI — to guide instruments through the body's natural pathways. Instead of large surgical incisions, IR uses access points no bigger than a pen tip, typically through a small nick in the skin or a natural body opening.
This approach results in less pain, minimal blood loss, shorter hospital stays, and faster return to daily life. At KG Hospital, our IR suite is integrated with Cardiology, Oncology, Vascular Surgery, Neurology, Neurosurgery, Obstetrics, gynecology and Gastroenterology — ensuring you receive a coordinated, multidisciplinary care plan.
| Parameter | Interventional Radiology | Laparoscopic Surgery | Open Surgery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Incision Size | 2–3 mm | 10–15 mm | 6–20 cm |
| Anaesthesia | Local / Sedation | General | General |
| Hospital Stay | Day care–1 day | 2–3 days | 5–7 days |
| Blood Loss | Minimal | Low | Significant |
| Recovery | 3–7 days | 2–3 weeks | 4–6 weeks |
| Scar | None / Tiny | Small | Visible |
Vascular Procedures
Our vascular IR team treats arterial and venous diseases affecting the Brain, kidneys, legs, Liver, Stomach, colon, lungs, uterus, prostate and brain — restoring blood flow / stopping bleeding without the need for open bypass surgery.
Peripheral artery disease (PAD) causes narrowing or blockage in arteries supplying the legs, kidneys, or intestines. Our IR team uses balloon angioplasty to open the blocked artery and, where needed, places a metal stent to keep it open — all through a 2 mm puncture in the groin or wrist.
Transcatheter embolisation delivers embolic agents (coils, particles, glue) directly into bleeding vessels to stop haemorrhage from trauma, GI bleeds, post-partum haemorrhage, or tumour vascularity — often within minutes, without surgery.
TIPS creates an artificial channel within the liver connecting the portal vein to the hepatic vein, reducing portal blood pressure. It is a critical procedure for patients with liver cirrhosis suffering from oesophageal varices or refractory ascites — avoiding high-risk surgical shunts.
EVLA and RFA use heat energy delivered via a thin fibre or catheter inside the varicose vein to seal it shut permanently.Venaseal uses N-butyl cyanoacrylate glue to obliterate varicose vein. Unlike traditional surgical stripping, patients walk in for the procedure and walk out the same day with no general anaesthesia and minimal bruising.
For patients on long-term haemodialysis, a functioning AV fistula is vital. Our IR team creates and maintains fistulas through percutaneous techniques — balloon dilation of stenosed segments, thrombolysis for clotted fistulas, and stent placement — prolonging functional life of dialysis access.
Advanced endovascular management of intracranial aneurysms. We utilize precise navigation to place platinum coils or use flow-diverting stents to reconstruct the vessel wall, minimizing the risk of rupture.
Immediate mechanical removal of clots blocking large cerebral arteries. By restoring blood flow to the brain rapidly, we significantly improve neurological outcomes and reduce disability.
Endovascular obliteration of Arteriovenous Malformations (AVM) and dural fistulas using embolic agents. This stops abnormal blood flow patterns and protects the brain from hemorrhage.
A minimally invasive procedure to open narrowed carotid arteries. By placing a stent, we restore proper blood flow to the brain, effectively preventing future stroke events.
Repairing aortic aneurysms using stent-grafts delivered through small groin incisions. This reinforces the aorta from the inside, preventing potential rupture without major open surgery.
Non-Vascular Procedures
Beyond the blood vessels, our IR team performs a wide range of image-guided drainages, biopsies, and decompression procedures that replace the need for open surgical exploration.
CT / Ultrasound-Guided Biopsy
Precise needle biopsy of liver, lung, kidney, lymph node, or bone lesions for histopathological diagnosis — replacing open surgical biopsy in most cases.
Percutaneous Abscess & Fluid Drainage
Image-guided catheter placement to drain infected collections in the abdomen, pelvis, chest, or liver — avoiding emergency surgery for septic patients.
PTBD — Biliary Drainage
Percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage relieves obstructive jaundice from bile duct blockages due to cancer or stones when endoscopic access is not possible.
Oncology CollaborationNephrostomy & Ureteric Stenting
Percutaneous nephrostomy tube insertion or antegrade ureteric stent placement decompresses an obstructed kidney — a critical procedure in urosepsis.
Vertebroplasty & Kyphoplasty
Bone cement injection into a collapsed vertebra (from osteoporosis or tumour) to stabilise fractures and relieve severe back pain — same-day procedure.
Pain Relief FocusCentral Venous Port Insertion (Port-a-Cath)
Image-guided insertion of subcutaneous venous ports for chemotherapy patients, avoiding repeated painful cannulation — placed under local anaesthesia.
Tumour Ablation & Oncology IR
Our interventional oncology programme offers curative and palliative tumour treatments guided by CT or ultrasound — often for patients who are not candidates for open surgery due to advanced age, comorbidities, or tumour location.
RFA uses radiofrequency energy delivered through a needle electrode to heat and destroy tumour tissue to temperatures that kill cancer cells. It is a first-line treatment for early hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and renal cell carcinoma tumours ≤5 cm — comparable to surgery in selected patients.
- All cases reviewed by hepatology, oncology, surgery, and IR jointly
- Curative ablation vs. TACE vs. surgery decision made collectively
- Follow-up imaging at 1 month and 3 months post-ablation
TACE combines targeted chemotherapy delivery with arterial embolisation — selectively injecting chemotherapy-loaded microspheres into the hepatic artery feeding the tumour, then blocking the artery to trap the drug and starve the tumour of blood simultaneously. Drug-eluting bead TACE (DEB-TACE) maximises tumour drug concentration while minimising systemic toxicity.
Microwave ablation generates electromagnetic energy producing larger and more uniform ablation zones than RFA — ideal for tumours 3–6 cm or near blood vessels where heat-sink effect may limit RFA efficacy. KG Hospital was among the early adopters of MWA in South India.
Advanced neuro-interventional procedures to treat aneurysms, AVMs, and acute strokes using high-resolution imaging and catheter-based techniques.
Women's Health Interventions
Interventional radiology offers women uterus-preserving, fertility-sparing alternatives for common gynaecological conditions — without hysterectomy.
Uterine Fibroid Embolisation (UFE)
UFE is a minimally invasive alternative to hysterectomy for symptomatic uterine fibroids. Tiny embolic particles are injected into the uterine arteries to cut blood supply to fibroids — causing them to shrink by 40–60% within 3–6 months. Heavy menstrual bleeding improves dramatically in over 85% of patients.
Pelvic Congestion Syndrome (PCS) Embolisation
PCS causes chronic pelvic pain in women due to dilated ovarian and pelvic veins. Embolisation of the incompetent ovarian veins relieves this under-diagnosed condition — often mistaken for gynaecological or orthopaedic causes of pain.
Day procedure · Local anaesthesia · Coil or glue embolisation · 70–80% pain relief · Return home same day
Men's Health Interventions
Interventional radiology provides a non-surgical, minimally invasive approach to treating male reproductive conditions, ensuring quick recovery and no general anaesthesia.
Varicocele Embolisation
Varicocele embolisation is the gold-standard minimally invasive treatment for varicoceles (enlarged veins in the scrotum). By using micro-coils or sclerosing agents, we block the reflux of blood in the incompetent testicular vein. This improves blood flow, relieves scrotal pain, and can significantly improve sperm parameters for men struggling with infertility.
Prostatic Artery Embolisation (PAE)
PAE is a revolutionary treatment for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH). By blocking the blood supply to the prostate gland, the prostate shrinks, alleviating urinary obstruction symptoms without the risks associated with traditional prostate surgery (TURP).
Day procedure · No general anaesthesia · No sexual side effects · Rapid symptom relief · Same-day discharge
