Interventional Radiology and Endoscopy

Interventional radiology and endoscopy are used to treat patients with numerous problems, many of which cannot otherwise be effectively managed. One of the key features of these procedures is their minimally invasive nature; in many cases, we do not need to make an incision at all. Instead, we use a combination of ultrasonography, fluoroscopy (moving X-ray images) and endoscopy to image and access the body.

Image-guided interventions require a team of experienced veterinarians, and pull together faculty from the Internal Medicine, Cardiology, Soft Tissue Surgery and Radiology Services. Each specialist brings specific key skills to the table.

The list below describes the procedures offered here at Texas A&M. However, new advances occur regularly in this field, so please contact us at (979) 845 2351 if you have questions about our services. We cannot discuss a patient we have not seen with an owner, but we are always happy to talk to the primary care veterinarian about options and costs.

Cardiac (heart):

• Pacemaker implantation
• Balloon dilation for pulmonic, subaortic and tricuspid valve stenosis
• Patent ductus arteriosus [PDA] closure
• Heartworm extraction
• Occlusion of atrial and ventricular septal defects [ASD, VSD]
• Balloon dilation for cortriatrium dexter

Peripheral vascular (blood vessels):

• Embolization (closure) of arteriovenous malformations/fistulas
• Intravascular foreign body removal
• Embolization for epistaxis (nasal bleeding) or other hemorrhage
• Stenting for vascular stenosis

Gastrointestinal (digestive tract):

• Gastrointestinal foreign body removal
• Esophageal dilation and stenting for esophageal strictures
• Colonic stenting for tumors or strictures
• Feeding tube placement

Urinary (bladder and kidney):

• Urethral stenting for strictures and tumors
• Ureteral stenting for stones, strictures, and tumors
• Laser ablation of ectopic (abnormally placed) ureters
• Ultrasound guided laser ablation for TCC
• Renal (kidney) drainage

Airway/respiratory (breathing/lung):

• Tracheal stenting for tracheal collapse
• Nasopharyngeal stenosis dilation/stenting
• Tracheobronchial (airway) foreign body removal

Hepatobiliary (liver and gall bladder):

• Coil embolization of intrahepatic portosystemic (liver) shunts
• Gall bladder drainage

Oncology (cancer):

• Ultrasound guided laser ablation for TCC
• Intra-arterial chemotherapy and chemoembolization (directly to the blood vessels supplying the tumor)

In addition, numerous minimally invasive surgical procedures are offered by our Soft Tissue Surgical Service. Routine endoscopic examination and biopsy of the urinary system, gastrointestinal tract and liver are performed by our Internal Medicine Service.