Top 5 Procedures Done by Interventional Radiologists in Chennai

Most people visit a surgeon when they need a procedure. But for many conditions, there is a better option and an entirely different specialist.

Interventional radiologists in Chennai treat conditions that once required open surgery using live imaging to guide thin catheters through a pinhole entry point. No large cuts. No general anaesthesia in most cases. Faster recovery than almost any surgical alternative. 

The challenge is awareness. Most patients in Chennai have never heard of these

procedures, even when they are the recommended first-line treatment internationally. 

This article covers the top 5 procedures performed by interventional radiologists in Chennai. Each one treats a common condition. Each one offers a genuine, evidence-backed alternative to surgery. And each one is available right now if you know how to ask for it. 

What is interventional radiology?

Interventional radiology (IR) is a medical speciality where doctors use live imaging, such as X-ray, ultrasound, CT, or MRI, to guide instruments inside the body and treat disease without open surgery. Procedures are performed through a puncture smaller than a pencil tip, usually under local anaesthesia. 

Why Most Chennai Patients Don't Know About These Procedures 

The referral system in India sends most patients directly to surgeons. Interventional radiologists sit outside the standard GP referral pathway, which means their procedures are rarely offered unless a patient specifically asks. 

According to the Society of Interventional Radiology (2023), IR-based procedures have replaced open surgery for dozens of conditions globally with comparable or better outcomes and significantly shorter recovery times. Yet patient awareness in India remains very low. 

The result? People undergo major operations for conditions that could have been treated in a single outpatient session. 

Common mistake: Assuming that a surgical recommendation is the only recommendation. For every condition covered in this article, a non-surgical IR option exists and should be discussed before any operation is agreed to. 

Pro Tip: After any diagnosis that leads to a surgical referral, ask one direct question: "Is there an interventional radiology option for this?" That single question has changed the treatment path for thousands of patients who were headed straight for the operating theatre. 

Key Takeaway: IR procedures exist for many common conditions. Most patients are simply never told. Knowing what is available puts you in control of the conversation with your doctor. 

Procedure 1: Uterine Fibroid Embolization (UFE) for Fibroids 

UFE is a non-surgical treatment for uterine fibroids that shrinks them by cutting off their blood supply. It preserves the uterus, requires no general anaesthesia, and gets most women back to normal life within two weeks. 

Uterine fibroids affect up to 40% of Indian women of reproductive age, according to the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of India (2023). Most are referred to gynaecologists and offered myomectomy or hysterectomy. UFE is rarely mentioned because it is performed by an IR specialist, not a gynaecologist. 

How UFE works: 

• A catheter is inserted through a 2mm puncture at the wrist or groin 

• Live X-ray guides it to the uterine arteries supplying the fibroids 

• Tiny particles block blood flow, showing fibroids shrink over 3–6 months 

• Patient walks out the same day or the next morning 

Clinical data consistently show UFE achieves 85–90% symptom relief comparable to hysterectomy, with dramatically shorter recovery. 

UFE vs Hysterectomy: 

Feature	UFE	Hysterectomy
Anaesthesia	Local	General
Hospital stay	Same day or 1 night	3–5 days
Recovery	1–2 weeks	4–6 weeks
Uterus preserved	Yes	No
Success rate	85–90%	High definitive

Pro Tip: If you have been recommended a hysterectomy for fibroids, request a pelvic MRI and one consultation with an IR specialist before deciding. UFE is now the internationally recommended first-line non-surgical option for symptomatic fibroids. 

Key Takeaway: UFE is a proven, same-day procedure that most women with fibroids are never told about. It works. It preserves the uterus. And it is available in Chennai now. 

Procedure 2 Endovenous Laser Ablation (EVLA) for Varicose Veins

EVLA is a laser-based procedure that closes diseased leg veins from the inside without surgical cuts, without a hospital stay, and with a recovery measured in days rather than weeks. 

Traditional varicose vein surgery, called vein stripping, required general anaesthesia and several weeks of recovery. EVLA replaces it entirely for most patients. The procedure takes under an hour. Patients walk out the same day. 

How EVLA works: 

1. Doppler ultrasound maps the diseased vein 

2. A thin laser fibre is inserted through a needle puncture 

3. Local anaesthesia is injected around the vein 

4. As the fibre is withdrawn, laser energy seals the vein from inside 

5. Blood flow redirects to healthy veins immediately 

EVLA achieves a 95%+ closure rate at one year, superior to surgical stripping in most comparative studies. 

Symptoms that mean EVLA is worth discussing: 

• Visible, bulging, twisted veins on the legs 

• Daily leg aching or heaviness 

• Skin discolouration near the ankle 

• Swelling that worsens through the day 

• A wound near the ankle that won't heal 

Pro Tip: Don't wait until you have a skin ulcer before seeking treatment. EVLA at Grade 2–3 venous disease is straightforward. At Grade 4 with open ulcers, treatment becomes more complex, and recovery takes longer. Earlier treatment is always simpler. 

Key Takeaway: EVLA has replaced surgical vein stripping as the standard of care for varicose veins. It is faster, less painful, and equally effective when performed by IR specialists as a walk-out procedure. 

Procedure 3: Prostate Artery Embolization (PAE) for Enlarged Prostate 

PAE is a minimally invasive treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), an enlarged prostate that reduces prostate size without surgery, without a urinary catheter under general anaesthesia, and without the sexual side effects associated with surgical TURP. 

Benign prostate enlargement affects an estimated 50% of men over 50 and over 80% of men over 80, according to the European Association of Urology (2023). The standard surgical treatment, a TURP, is effective but carries risks, including retrograde ejaculation in up to 90% of cases. 

PAE avoids this entirely. 

PAE vs TURP side by side: 

Feature	PAE	TURP (Surgery)
Anaesthesia	Local	General or spinal
Hospital stay	Same day	2–3 nights
Recovery	3–5 days	2–4 weeks
Sexual side effects	Minimal	Retrograde ejaculation — common
Symptom improvement	Significant in 80%+	High
Best for	Moderate-severe BPH	Severe BPH, acute retention

A 2022 randomised controlled trial in European Urology confirmed that PAE produced significant symptom improvement comparable to TURP, with far lower rates of sexual side effects. 

Pro Tip: PAE is not suitable for every prostate anatomy. Ask your IR specialist whether your prostate vasculature is appropriate for embolization. This is assessed during a CT angiogram before the procedure. Good candidate selection is what makes PAE outcomes consistently strong. 

Key Takeaway: PAE gives men with enlarged prostate a genuine alternative to surgery with equivalent symptom relief, same-day discharge, and significantly fewer side effects. Most men are never offered it. 

Procedure 4 Genicular Artery Embolization (GAE) for Knee Pain 

GAE is an image-guided procedure that reduces chronic knee pain from osteoarthritis by targeting the abnormal blood vessels driving inflammation in the knee joint without surgery, without joint replacement, and without general anaesthesia. 

Knee osteoarthritis affects over 15% of Indian adults above 40, according to the Indian Journal of Orthopaedics (2023). Many patients are caught between "not bad enough for replacement" and "too painful to function normally." GAE was designed for exactly this group. 

How GAE works: 

• A catheter is guided to the genicular arteries supplying the inflamed knee tissue 

• Tiny embolic particles reduce blood flow to abnormal, inflammatory vessels 

• Inflammation decreases over 2–4 weeks 

• Pain improves without any change to the joint structure 

A 2022 RCT published in Radiology found GAE provided significant pain relief in 73% of patients with moderate knee osteoarthritis at six months. 

GAE is most suited for patients who: 

• Have Grade 2–3 osteoarthritis 

• Have tried physiotherapy and steroid injections without lasting relief 

• Are not yet at the bone-on-bone stage needing replacement 

• Want a same-day, walk-out option 

Pro Tip: GAE does not rebuild cartilage; it reduces the vascular inflammation causing pain. Your follow-up X-ray will look the same. But your pain level will be significantly lower. Judge the result by how you feel, not by how the imaging looks. 

Key Takeaway: GAE fills the gap between failed injections and knee replacement, offering real, measurable pain relief for moderate osteoarthritis patients who have run out of conservative options. 

Procedure 5: TACE for Liver Cancer

TACE Transarterial Chemoembolization delivers chemotherapy directly into the artery feeding a liver tumour, then seals the artery to trap the drug at the site. It is the internationally recommended first-line non-surgical treatment for intermediate-stage liver cancer. 

When liver surgery is not possible due to tumour location, underlying cirrhosis, or patient fitness, TACE is not a compromise. It is the standard recommendation. 

According to the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) 2022 guidelines, TACE is the first-line treatment for BCLC Stage B hepatocellular carcinoma, the intermediate stage that affects a large proportion of liver cancer patients in India. 

TACE vs Systemic Chemotherapy: 

Feature	TACE	Systemic Chemotherapy
Drug delivery	Direct to the tumour artery	Through bloodstream
Tumour drug concentration	Very high	Lower diluted
Side effects	Localised, manageable	Systemic nausea, fatigue, hair loss
Tumour control rate	50–60%	10–20%
Hospital stay	1–2 days	Outpatient sessions

Specialists like Dr Ravindran, an Endovascular and Interventional Radiologist at irdoctor. Assess liver cancer patients using BCLC staging and liver function scoring before recommending TACE, ensuring the procedure is matched to patients who will genuinely benefit, rather than being applied broadly. This careful, imaging-led patient selection is what consistently produces strong outcomes. 

Pro Tip: If a liver surgeon tells you the tumour is inoperable, ask for a referral to an IR specialist the same week. "Inoperable" means not suitable for surgery; it does not mean untreatable. TACE may be exactly the right next step. 

Key Takeaway: TACE is not a last resort for liver cancer. It is the guideline-recommended standard of care for intermediate-stage disease, and it is performed exclusively by interventional radiologists. 

FAQ: People Also Ask About IR Procedures in Chennai 

How do I find an interventional radiologist in Chennai for these procedures?

Search specifically for the procedure you need: "UFE Chennai," "PAE treatment Chennai," or "GAE knee pain Chennai." These searches surface IR specialists directly. Alternatively, ask your GP for a referral to the interventional radiology department at a hospital with a dedicated IR suite. A general radiology referral is not the same as one specifically for interventional radiology. 

What is the recovery time for most IR procedures compared to surgery?

Most IR procedures involve 1–2 days of recovery before returning to light activity and 1–2 weeks before full activity. Surgical alternatives for the same conditions typically require 4–8 weeks. This difference is significant for working patients, caregivers, and anyone who cannot afford a prolonged recovery period. 

Why aren't IR procedures offered by default instead of surgery?

IR procedures are performed by a different specialist, an interventional radiologist, who sits outside the standard GP-to-surgeon referral pathway. Most GPs refer to surgeons by default. IR specialists are not proactively included in referral chains for many conditions, even when IR is the recommended first-line treatment. Patient awareness is the main driver of change. 

When is surgery still the better option over an IR procedure?

Surgery remains the better choice for conditions requiring physical tissue removal with clear margins, structural repair after trauma, or when IR access is technically not feasible due to anatomy. A good IR specialist will always tell you honestly when surgery is the right answer. The goal of any IR consultation is the best outcome, not the avoidance of surgery at all costs.

Which of these five IR procedures is covered by insurance in India?

UFE, EVLA, TACE, and below-knee angioplasty are covered by most major insurers when medically indicated with supporting documentation from a specialist. PAE and GAE coverage varies by insurer and policy. Pre-authorisation is required in almost all cases. Ask your IR specialist for the diagnostic codes and a referral letter before your procedure date to initiate the claim. 

Conclusion: These Procedures Exist. Now You Know to Ask for Them. 

Interventional radiology has changed what "treatment" means for dozens of conditions. Fibroids, varicose veins, enlarged prostate, knee pain, liver cancer — all of these can now be treated through a pinhole entry point, under local anaesthesia, with a recovery that takes days rather than months. 

The only thing standing between most Chennai patients and these options is awareness. 

Here is what to do next: 

• If you have been given a surgical recommendation, ask whether an IR procedure is available for your condition 

• Search specifically for the procedure name and "Chennai" to find the right specialist 

• Book one IR consultation before committing to any operation 

• Bring your imaging and ask the questions from this article 

One additional consultation could change your entire treatment path. That is worth one phone call this week. 

This article is for educational purposes only. It does not replace professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified specialist for personalised diagnosis and treatment planning.