Embolisation therapy
Embolisation therapy is a minimally invasive (non-surgical) treatment for:
- Hypervascularised tumours – abnormal growths of benign or malignant tissue which proliferate due to the over-development of blood vessels supplying the area
- Arteriovenous malformations – an abnormal shunt between artery and vein that bypasses the normal capillary bed and can cause complications
During the procedure, an embolic material (often composed of tiny particles or beads made from a biomedical polymer) is injected into selected vessels to block the blood flow feeding the tumour or malformation, causing it to shrink over time. Embolisation is commonly used to treat a number of conditions, including:
- Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) – liver cancer tumours
- Uterine fibroids – benign hypervascularised tumours of the uterus, which can cause pain, bleeding and infertility
- Varicose veins
- Aneurysms
Embolisation therapy is carried out by an interventional radiologist and can offer many benefits over traditional surgical treatments, including reduced trauma, shorter hospital stays, quicker recovery times and increased cost-effectiveness. A description of the procedure is below.
- The patient is sedated but remains conscious
- A small incision is made in the femoral artery into which a guidewire is inserted
- A delivery catheter is advanced over the guidewire through the arterial system to the targeted area. Contrast agent is injected through the catheter to ensure accurate positioning in the blood vessels feeding the tumour
- A syringe containing the embolic material is attached to the catheter and the material delivered into the target vessels, forming a blockage
- When embolisation is complete (blood flow to the tumour is blocked), the catheter and guidewire are withdrawn and a small dressing applied
- Over the following months, the embolised vessels shrink and the tumour decreases in size. Blood flow is maintained in vessels supplying healthy tissue.