Interventional Radiology and Neurovascular Interventional Radiology Hospital in Mumbai

Neurovascular & Interventional Radiology

If you have been diagnosed with a condition that affects your brain, neck or spine, you may be treated by a neurovascular interventional radiologist. These doctors perform minimally invasive surgical procedures using medical imaging and sophisticated devices such as catheters or specialized wires to assess and treat various disorders involving blood vessels in the brain, head, neck and spine.

Best Neurovascular and Interventional Radiology Hospital in India - Fortis Hospital, Mulund

The Neurovascular Interventional Radiology Program at Fortis Hospital, Mulund, is one of the most established in India, offering comprehensive, advanced care for adults and children. Our highly skilled endovascular and interventional specialists have extensive experience in interventional procedures, delivering excellent outcomes. Our centre is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities and advanced technologies required to perform the most complex interventional procedures. These capabilities mean, our experts can precisely evaluate and treat lesions, while also patients have access to the newest treatment options and devices to treat or cure their condition, perhaps, with less pain, decreased procedure risk, quicker recovery, and shorter hospital stays than conventional surgery.

As one of the best hospitals for neuro-interventional radiology in the country, our centre offers the most effective minimally invasive treatments for a wide range of conditions that affect the brain, neck, spine and spinal cord with the best results. We adopt a multi-specialty team consisting of interventional neurovascular radiologists who are leaders in their fields, neurologists, neurosurgeons, anesthesiologists, nurses, and other support staff to provide the highest level of care.

This article explains all you need to know about neurovascular interventional radiology, also known as neuro-interventional radiology or interventional neuroradiology, and how this rapidly evolving and complex field is transforming medicine by offering less invasive treatment options in a precise and effective way.

What is neurovascular interventional radiology?

Neurovascular interventional radiology is a subspeciality of radiology that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of certain conditions of the brain, head, neck, and spine, using minimally invasive image-guided techniques. These procedures offer various benefits compared to open surgery - such as less pain and risks, faster recovery times, and better outcomes.

Why and how are neurovascular interventional procedures performed?

A neurovascular interventional procedure may be required to address various conditions affecting blood vessels in the brain, head, neck, and spine – such as stroke, brain aneurysms, and brain tumours. Neurovascular interventional radiologists use minimally invasive techniques to treat these complex conditions with imaging methods without the need for open surgery.

Neurovascular interventional radiologists at Fortis Hospital, Mulund, use cutting-edge imaging scans such as X-ray, CT scan, ultrasound, and fluoroscopy to diagnose and treat a wide range of conditions such as arteriovenous malformation, brain aneurysm, and acute ischemic stroke. These procedures involve inserting small catheters (hollow tubes), wires, stents, and other devices into the blood vessels by cutting a small incision in your skin, guided by medical imaging to access and repair vascular problems.

What are the conditions that neurovascular interventional radiologists treat?

Neurovascular interventional radiologists at Fortis Hospital, Mulund, treat a wide range of conditions, including:

Brain aneurysm – a bulge or ballooning in a weakened spot of a blood vessel inside the brain. Also known as a cerebral aneurysm, a brain aneurysm can cause bleeding in the brain (hemorrhagic stroke) if it bursts or leaks.

Intracranial atherosclerotic disease (ICAD) – the brain arteries become narrowed or blocked due to the buildup of cholesterol plaque, which can reduce or interfere with blood flow to the brain and cause stroke.

Acute ischemic stroke – a medical emergency in which the blood supply to the brain is blocked or reduced by a clot or plaque in the arteries, causing damage to brain cells.

Acute hemorrhagic stroke – a life-threatening emergency resulting from the rupture of a vessel, causing blood to bleed into the surrounding brain. This can lead to permanent damage to brain cells.

Carotid stenosis – when carotid arteries (the main blood vessels in the neck that supply the brain with blood and oxygen) become narrowed or blocked due to plaque buildup.

Head and neck vascular malformations – rare conditions that affect the vascular system such as veins, arteries, and lymph vessels. Vascular malformations can develop before birth and they can form in any part of the body, including the brain, head, and neck. However, these anomalies often don’t cause symptoms until they are triggered by an injury or hormonal changes during puberty or pregnancy. There are different types of vascular malformations, with the common ones being - arteriovenous malformations/fistulae (AVM/AVF) and venous malformations (VMs). 

- Arteriovenous malformations/fistulae are abnormal connections between an artery and vein. An AVM commonly affects the tissue of the brain or spine, however, an AVF typically affects the coverings of the brain or spinal cord. However, AVMs and AVFs can also occur in other areas of the body.

- A venous malformation occurs when veins do not form normally. A venous malformation, which is the most common type of vascular malformations, can develop in any area of the body. 

Brain arteriovenous malformation (AVM) – an abnormal set of connections between arteries and veins in the brain that can disrupt blood flow, causing bleeding or damage, besides other neurological problems.

Spinal arteriovenous malformation (AVM) – abnormal connections between arteries and veins on, in, or near the spinal cord. If left untreated, it can cause permanent damage to the spinal cord.

Dural arteriovenous fistulas (DAVFs) – abnormal connections between an artery and a vein in the protective layer of the brain and spinal cord (dura mater). DAVFs can cause several problems, including headache, facial pain or numbness, seizures, lower back pain, weakness or numbness in the legs, speech or language problems, difficulty walking or climbing stairs, etc.

Vein of Galen malformation (VOGM) – an abnormal tangle of blood vessels inside the brain, disrupting blood flow. It is a rare and serious type of AVM that develops before or at birth. VOGM, which affects infants and young children, can cause severe problems if not diagnosed and treated promptly.

What are the treatment options or procedures offered by neurovascular interventional radiologists?

Neurovascular interventional radiologists perform a range of procedures to treat various conditions primarily affecting the brain, neck and spine. At Fortis Hospital, Mulund, our interventional neuroradiologists offer a range of minimally invasive procedures using state-of-the-art imaging techniques, providing exceptional care. Treatment options may include:

Carotid angioplasty and stenting: These procedures can help restore blood flow to the brain by opening clogged or narrowed carotid arteries located on each side of the neck. Carotid angioplasty with stenting involves inserting a catheter with a very small, deflated balloon at its tip into an artery in the groin. Doctors use moving X-ray pictures to guide the catheter to the blocked artery. Once the catheter arrives at the target spot or the narrowed area, the balloon is inflated, and a stent (a small metal mesh tube) is placed to ensure the artery remains open. This minimally invasive procedure is used to treat carotid artery stenosis, which can lead to a stroke.

Intracranial angioplasty and stenting: For this procedure, a catheter is inserted into an artery through a tiny cut in the groin. The catheter is carefully moved to the blockage under real-time imaging guidance. A small balloon attached to the catheter is inflated at the target spot, expanding the affected artery and improving blood flow. After this, a stent is positioned at the narrowed artery to provide structural support and prevent future blockage. This procedure is used to treat conditions like carotid artery stenosis and intracranial atherosclerotic disease, which cause reduced blood flow in the brain due to clogged or narrowed arteries.

Embolization: This procedure blocks an artery or a vein that supplies blood to a specific area. Embolization may be performed to prevent excessive bleeding and block arteries that feed tumours and other diseased tissue. During this procedure, interventional radiologists insert a small catheter through a small incision in the groin and advance it to the treatment site to deliver medication or embolic agent, using imaging technologies. This will stop or halt blood supply to the area of abnormality or bleeding. Embolic agents are of different types and may include gelatin foam, metallic coils, liquid glue, balloons, and particulate agents, etc. Embolization can help treat many conditions, including brain aneurysms, arteriovenous malformations, dural arteriovenous fistulas, spinal vascular malformations, acute stroke, vascular tumours, and frequent nose bleeds. Neuro-interventional radiologists at Fortis Hospital, Mulund, regularly perform embolization. Our experts perform this procedure via transarterial routes or transvenous routes, or a hybrid combination of both routes for optimal outcomes, especially in complex cases. Our highly skilled doctors also do a lot of embolization procedures for the paediatric age groups to treat conditions like Vein of Galen aneurysmal malformations (VGAMs) and pial arteriovenous fistulas (PAVFs). Our doctors also use this procedure to treat other indications such as chronic subdural haematoma, vascular tumours like hemangiopericytoma or meningioma.

Mechanical thrombectomy: During a mechanical thrombectomy, a catheter is advanced through a blood vessel in the arm or leg to the affected area in the neck or brain under image guidance. The clot is removed with special devices, which restore blood flow through blocked arteries that can cause a stroke. As a ‘stroke-ready’ center, experts at Fortis Hospital, Mulund, use this critical procedure as an acute emergency treatment for acute ischemic stroke. This procedure, which may be performed up to 24 hours after stroke symptoms appear, can help reduce the risk of death or severe disability.

Conclusion

Neurovascular interventional radiology offers minimally invasive treatments for various conditions affecting blood vessels of the brain, head, neck, and spine. The field of neurovascular interventional radiology has some advantages compared to open surgery – such as a reduced risk to patients, less pain, quicker recovery time, and shorter hospital stays. However, these procedures may not be suitable for all cases. 

The Neurovascular Interventional Radiology Program at Fortis Hospital, Mulund, offers innovative treatments, combining the expertise of multiple disciplines and using state-of-the-art techniques. Our specialists have the experience and skills to make accurate diagnoses and suggest an appropriate treatment plan based on your unique condition’s needs and goals.