Many patients in Eastern Kentucky battle diseases and health issues such as cancer, heart disease, neurological conditions, spinal problems, vascular disease and women’s health problems. These can cause tremendous disruptions in a patient’s life and often worsen without proper care. Often, they can be treated by minimally invasive procedures involving Interventional Radiology (IR). However, few patients know to ask about them.
Pikeville Medical Center’s (PMC) Interventional Radiology physicians, William Coulter, DO, Steven Krohmer, MD and Weiping Wang, MD, FSIR, diagnose and treat patients using less invasive techniques to minimize risk to patients and improve health outcomes. These procedures typically have fewer risks, less pain and shorter recovery time in comparison to open surgery.
Interventional Radiology uses medical imaging guidance such as x-ray, MRI or ultrasound to allow physicians to reach deep within a patient’s body through a body orifice or tiny incision using small needles and wires. Due to advancements in technology at PMC, Interventional Radiologists can perform procedures with real-time visualization which provides precision guidance and increased accuracy for medical device placement and biopsies.
Pikeville Medical Center’s Interventional Radiologists use IR procedures to drastically alleviate symptoms of vascular disease, stroke, uterine fibroids or cancer in certain situations. IR is also a way to treat kidney and gallstones and place central lines, which are IVs that go deep into the body to deliver medicine.
Increased Effectiveness: Advanced imaging technology gives PMC IR physicians high visibility while performing procedures. This can increase the accuracy of the diagnosis and improve patient outcomes.
Reduced Risks: Interventional Radiology typically results in less blood loss and a lower risk for infection.
Outpatient vs. Inpatient Stays: IR Procedures are typically performed on an outpatient basis.
Less Pain: IR procedures are performed through small incisions, so pain experienced during or after the process is moderate.
Quicker Recovery Time: Due to their minimally invasive nature, IR procedures typically allow patients to recover quicker than they otherwise would following traditional surgery.
