In selected patients—especially those with large (extending into the pelvis), acute (< 14 days old), or symptomatic clots (not getting better with medical therapy)—interventional management may be recommended to rapidly restore blood flow. Our goals are primarily to reduce the risk of long-term complications such as moderate to severe post-thrombotic syndrome, limb threatening ischemia and reduce acute pain
During the procedure, an interventional radiologist advances needles through the back muscles and into the broken bone under Xray guidance. They then gently lift the collapsed part of the vertebra with a tiny balloon and then fills the space created with a special medical cement to stabilize the bone and restore some height. It usually takes less than an hour, uses local or light general anesthesia, and most patients go home the same day.
These treatments are performed through a small
puncture in the neck, groin or behind the knee and are guided by advanced
imaging, completely avoiding major surgery.
Interventional options may include:
Mayfair’s interventional radiologists perform general IR procedures at Rockyview General Hospital and interventional vascular procedures at the Peter Lougheed Centre in Calgary.
