Fairfax, Virginia – The condition for which Senator Tim Johnson (D-South Dakota) was hospitalized, arteriovenous malformation (AVM), can be treated nonsurgically by interventional radiologists. AVMs are blood vessel abnormalities that if left untreated, can rupture causing life-threatening bleeding. Interventional radiologists can often treat these abnormalities without surgery by using imaging to guide a catheter inside the body to the site of disease and then inject blocking agents (beads, glue, or coils) that block the supply of blood. This treatment, embolization, removes the risk of rupture/hemorrhage.

“As nonsurgical vascular experts, interventional radiologists can stop the blood flow of a ruptured arteriovenous malformation. This prevents additional damage to the brain, as well as provides neurosurgeons with a clear line of sight for their repair or curative procedure,” explained Director of Interventional Radiology, Robert L. Vogelzang, M.D., at Northwestern University in Chicago. “Often, nonsurgical embolization is the sole treatment for AVMs. Interventional radiologists use embolization to also treat uterine fibroids, cancer, male infertility, post-partum hemorrhage, gun shot wounds, and some strokes.”

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