The Society of Interventional Radiology’s Annual Meeting
The annual meeting of the Society of Interventional Radiology was held from Feb. 28 to March 5 in Atlanta and attracted more than 5,000 participants from around the world, including scientists, allied health professionals, and others interested in interventional radiology. The conference highlighted recent advances in disease management and minimally-invasive, image-guided therapeutic interventions, with nearly 400 scientific presentations and posters covering the latest trends in interventional radiology research.
In a retrospective analysis, Sandeep Bagla, M.D., of Inova Alexandria Hospital in Virginia, and colleagues evaluated the effectiveness of prostate artery embolization in patients with varying gland sizes.
“Currently, the decision for which type of traditional surgery, such as transurethral resection of the prostate, is based on prostate gland size. Patients with a small prostate (<50 cm³) or a larger prostate (>80 cm³) are not ideal candidates for traditional benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) procedures,” Bagla said. “However, we evaluated the effectiveness of an alternative approach in three groups of patients, those with prostate <50 cm³, between 50 to 80 cm³, and >80 cm³.”
The investigators found that all three groups demonstrated improvement with prostate artery embolization. In addition, all three groups equally demonstrated improvements.
“In terms of clinical practice, for patients with a smaller sized prostate and those with a larger sized prostate, this approach offers an effective alternative for those not a candidate for traditional BPH surgery,” Bagla added.
Abstract No. 298
In another study, Horacio R. D’Agostino, M.D., of the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in Shreveport, and colleagues developed and evaluated the effectiveness of printed catheters, stents, and filaments with the ability to deliver antibiotics and chemotherapeutic medications to a targeted area in cell cultures. The investigators aimed to determine if this approach could inhibit the growth of bacteria and cancer cells. The investigators found that these devices inhibited both bacteria and cancer cell growth.
“We treat a wide variety of patients and, with some patients, the current one-size-fits-all devices are not an option,” D’Agostino said in a statement. “Three-dimensional printing gives us the ability to craft devices that are better suited for certain patient populations that are traditionally tough to treat, such as children and the obese, who have different anatomy. There’s limitless potential to be explored with this technology.”
Abstract No. 13
In the single-arm, prospective pilot Bariatric Embolization of Arteries for the Treatment of Obesity (BEAT Obesity) study, Clifford Weiss, M.D., of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, and colleagues evaluated the safety and efficacy of bariatric embolization using 300 to 500 micron embospheres to treat morbidly obese patients.
In terms of the primary end points, weight loss, and 30-day adverse events, the investigators found no major adverse events and an average weight loss of 3.3 ± 1.6 percent. Overall, the investigators found early evidence that bariatric embolization is a safe, effective, minimally-invasive treatment for morbid obesity.
Abstract No. LB-01
SIR: Intranasal Sphenopalatine Ganglion Block Eases Migraine
MONDAY, March 2, 2015 (HealthDay News) — A procedure that delivers lidocaine directly to nerves in the back of the nasal cavity appears to offer significant relief to migraine sufferers, preliminary research indicates. The findings were scheduled to be presented at the annual meeting of the Society of Interventional Radiology, held from Feb. 28 to March 5 in Atlanta.
SIR: Ultrasound Tx Relieves Pain in Chronic Plantar Fasciitis
MONDAY, March 2, 2015 (HealthDay News) — An ultrasound technique is showing early promise as a quick and minimally-invasive treatment for plantar fasciitis. The findings were scheduled for presentation at the annual meeting of the Society of Interventional Radiology, held from Feb. 28 to March 5 in Atlanta.
Copyright © 2015 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
