Quality
Interventional Radiology (IR), sometimes called "special procedures" or just "specials", is a branch of radiology that specializes in minimally invasive procedures. At St. Elizabeth Healthcare we have a total of five IR suites between our Edgewood, Florence and Ft. Thomas campuses. At each of those locations, the procedures performed include but are not limited to:
- Angiograms with intervention (treatment)
- Vein ablations
- Targeted cancer therapies
- Uterine fibroid embolizations
- Peripherally inserted central catheters (PICC lines)
- Central venous catheters
- Acute (temporary) and long term dialysis catheters
- Chest ports (Port-a-Caths)
- Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunts (TIPS procedure)
- Abscess drainage
- Vertebroplasties
- Epidural steroid injections
Safety
At St. Elizabeth Healthcare all of our Interventional Radiology procedures are performed by a team of specially trained professionals consisting of board certified physicians and physician assistants, interventional radiologic technologists and registered nurses. All of our interventional technologists hold radiography certifications from the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) and are licensed in the state of Kentucky. Additionally, all of our technologists receive thorough training in sterile technique and pertinent procedures. The nurses that are part of the IR team have prior experience in critical care and are certified by the American Heart Association (AHA) in Advanced Cardiac Life Support.
Innovation
All St. Elizabeth Healthcare IR suites are equipped with an X-ray machine that allows real time viewing of contrast media and other equipment or structures. The IR department also carries specialized accessory equipment on-site to aid in treatments such as laser varicose vein ablations and removal of blood clots.
St. Elizabeth Healthcare Interventional Radiology offers a wide variety of minimally invasive solutions that replace traditional surgical treatments, generally decreasing length of hospital admission, patient discomfort and recovery time. The physicians who perform procedures in IR strive to provide the most cutting-edge treatment options and several have been named “Cincinnati's Top Docs” by Cincinnati Magazine.