Vascular and endovascular division
Cardiac Surgery Division
Interventional Medicine Division
Pain Management Division
Clinical Division
Davida
Interventional Medicine Division
We generally call interventional medicine the medical procedure or set of procedures used for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes by the percutaneous insertion of guides, catheters and any devices required to develop the technique concerned.
Interventional medicine techniques can be developed by introducing percutaneous devices in the arterial system or venous system or non-vascular ducts of the patient. This is why the terms vascular interventional medicine and non-vascular interventional medicine are often used.
In many countries, such as Spain, interventional doctors sub-specialise as such from other specialities as a base, through practical training in techniques.
There are different names for Interventional Medicine depending on the anatomic area where the interventional doctor operates.
Interventional medicine of the coronary arteries is called hemodynamics and the doctor a hemodynamist. Generally speaking, the hemodynamic sections form an integrated but separate part of the cardiology services.
Interventional medicine of the carotid and intracranial arteries, together with many intracranial veins and spinal arteries is called Neuroradiology. In general neuroradiology units form part of the radiology departments. However, today some neurosurgeons and neurologists are training in neuroradiology techniques, although the number is still low compared to radiologists.
Lastly, interventional medicine known as peripheral, that is neither cerebral nor cardiac, is divided as mentioned above, into vascular and non-vascular.
1. In vascular interventional medicine, we talk of vascular radiology as radiologists were the first to try these techniques. However, vascular surgery services have now practically taken over this activity completely. Except for some exceptions, radiologists only practice vascular interventional medicine in the venous system.
2. Radiologists were also the first specialists to start in non-vascular interventional medicine and are today responsible for these techniques in the majority of hospitals.