Radial artery harvesting (RAH) is the process of removing the radial artery, located in the arm, for use as an arterial graft during coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG). During CABG, a healthy artery or vein is used as a graft to route the blood supply around the blocked coronary...
Exercise testing is used to identify and predict problems associated with the heart, blood vessels, and lungs. The procedure, often called “stress testing,” allows healthcare professionals to identify abnormalities that would not normally be present at rest. It may also be used to identify...
Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is a treatment for epilepsy, a chronic neurological disorder that stems from disturbance of the brain’s nerve and that causes recurrent, unprovoked, and unpredictable seizures. The treatment involves implanting a device in the chest that sends electrical pulses to...
Intravascular brachytherapy (IVB) for coronary arteries is a radiation treatment to prevent restenosis, the re-clogging of arteries, following angioplasty and stent placement. Narrowed and blocked coronary arteries can be treated with balloon angioplasty, the surgical widening of a blocked...
Stereotactic radiosurgery is a noninvasive procedure that uses targeted radiation to treat tumors and abnormalities in the brain. The technique, developed in the 1950s as a less invasive alternative to brain surgery, does not require an incision and is generally performed on an outpatient basis...
Breast brachytherapy is a treatment for early-stage breast cancer. It is a form of accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI), an alternative to standard radiation for preventing breast cancer recurrence after a lumpectomy. APBI can be delivered two ways: through external radiation beam...
Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) infuses a fecal suspension from a healthy donor into the gastrointestinal tract of a patient. This procedure is used to treat recurrent Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) infection and has shown promise in treating other conditions. C. difficile causes...
Liposuction is the surgical removal of subcutaneous fat by means of aspiration cannulas, introduced through small skin incisions, assisted by suction. Liposuction techniques range from simple aspiration to advanced laser- and ultrasound-guided procedures. The procedure is most often performed by...
Transcranial Doppler ultrasonography (TCD) is a non-invasive procedure that monitors the rate and direction of blood flow inside vessels in the brain. TCD
enables physicians to diagnose a wide range of conditions affecting blood flow to and within the brain. The procedure is performed by...
Intrathecal baclofen (ITB) refers to the delivery of the drug baclofen into the body’s cerebral spinal fluid using a surgically implanted pump. It is a treatment used for spasticity that results from a disorder of, or injury to, the central nervous system. These disorders or injuries can prevent...
