Dr. J. Dana Dunleavy, an Interventional Radiologist joined the Windsong in February 2013. An Interventional Radiologist is a “jack of all trades,” as the breadth of image-guided procedures they are capable of performing is quite extensive. Interventional Radiology ranges from draining an abscess or seroma (fluid collection), tissue/ fluid biopsy, placing stents or using balloons to open arteries and veins, embolizing (cessation of blood flow) arteries or veins, placement of inferior vena cava filters (prevents blood clots from traveling to the lungs), treating painful varicose veins, snaring (removal of) foreign bodies, insertion of dialysis catheters and other venous access (mediports, central, and peripheral lines) for long-term use (i.e. chemotherapy, infusions, blood draws), and the list goes on.
If they can do it using a wire and catheter, they will! The term used to describe such a technique is endovascular or percutaneous, depending on the location. This provides patients with a minimally invasive alternative to surgery, giving them no more than a small puncture site post procedure and faster recovery times. Having this capability allows Windsong patients to have their minimally invasive treatment in the outpatient location they prefer, with their favorite Windsong team, rather than traveling to an unfamiliar hospital. Keep in mind Interventional Radiologists will also utilize multiple modalities to accomplish the task at hand, whether it is Ultrasound, live Fluoro, or Computed Tomography.
Services now offered include:
- Venous ultrasounds – to diagnose venous insufficiency (veins not returning blood back to the heart), varicose veins, and deep vein thrombosis (DVT/blood clot).
- Treatments for venous insufficiency/ varicose veins: Radiofrequency Ablation (using high frequency radio waves), Sclerotherapy (administering medication into veins), and Microphlebectomy (removal of affected veins through tiny incisions), in order to redirect blood flow to healthy veins.
- CT and Ultrasound guided needle biopsies of tissue and fluid collections (Liver, Lymph nodes, Parotid gland, Abdominal/Pelvic).
- Paracentesis – a drain placed to remove fluid from the abdominal cavity.
- Thoracentesis – drain placement for fluid removal from the space between the lungs and the chest wall; also known as the pleural space.
- General drain placement for fluid collections, infections, post-operative seromas.
- Sclerotherapy of recurrent seromas.
- Aspiration and steroid injections of symptomatic Baker’s cysts (knee), ganglions (wrist), and bursitis (shoulder, elbow, hip), all of which are cystic fluid collections of respective anatomical areas. Additionally, treatment of calcific shoulder tendonitis.
- Ovarian vein embolization, & gonadal vein embolization for pelvic congestion syndrome and varicocele.
