EBIR flashcards

33 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Seldinger technique

Percutaneous vessel access by needle puncture, guidewire insertion, needle removal, and catheter placement over the wire; the foundation of most endovascular procedures.

Micropuncture access set

Small-calibre needle and coaxial dilator system used for initial vessel puncture, reducing risk at difficult or small-calibre access sites before larger sheath insertion.

Common femoral puncture target

Ideal entry is the common femoral artery over the femoral head, roughly 1-2 cm below the inguinal ligament, to allow safe compression and reduce retroperitoneal bleeding risk.

Dose-area product

Fluoroscopy dose metric integrating radiation over the irradiated field; recorded alongside fluoroscopy time to monitor procedural dose and support ALARA optimisation.

ALARA principle

Radiation protection principle requiring doses to be kept as low as reasonably achievable, using collimation, pulsed fluoroscopy, last-image hold, and minimised screening time.

Contrast-induced nephropathy

Acute kidney injury after iodinated contrast exposure, highest risk with chronic kidney disease, diabetes, dehydration, and high contrast volume; prevention relies on hydration and volume limitation.

Coil embolisation

Delivery of metallic coils into a vessel or aneurysm to induce thrombosis and occlusion; suited to focal arterial bleeding, aneurysm exclusion, and small-vessel embolisation.

Particle embolisation

Injection of calibrated particles to occlude distal arterioles, used for tumour devascularisation and haemorrhage control; occlusion level depends on particle size.

Liquid embolic agents

Polymerising or adhesive liquids such as cyanoacrylate glue and ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer that fill and occlude vessels; require skilled delivery because of catheter entrapment and nontarget embolisation risk.

Balloon tamponade

Temporary endovascular occlusion using an inflated balloon catheter to control haemorrhage, protect distal territory during embolisation, or test tolerance before permanent occlusion.

Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt

Creation of a channel between hepatic vein and portal vein through the liver, decompressing portal hypertension in variceal bleeding or refractory ascites; encephalopathy is a key complication.

Uterine artery embolisation

Bilateral embolisation of uterine arteries with particles to treat symptomatic fibroids; fertility-sparing option with expected ischaemic pain and small risk of ovarian or endometrial complications.

Transarterial chemoembolisation

Locoregional liver tumour therapy combining intra-arterial chemotherapy with embolisation; indicated for intermediate-stage hepatocellular carcinoma and selected metastases.

Radioembolisation

Intra-arterial delivery of yttrium-90 microspheres to liver tumours; requires pre-treatment angiography and lung shunt assessment to limit pulmonary radiation dose.

Thermal ablation

Image-guided destruction of tumour tissue using radiofrequency, microwave, or cryoenergy; suitable for small focal lesions with adequate safety margins and distance from critical structures.

Percutaneous nephrostomy

Image-guided catheter placement into the renal collecting system to relieve obstruction or provide access; complications include bleeding, infection, and inadvertent organ puncture.

Biliary drainage

Percutaneous or endoscopic catheter placement to relieve biliary obstruction; percutaneous route is used when endoscopic access fails or anatomy is altered.

Oesophageal stent

Self-expanding metallic stent placed for malignant dysphagia or obstruction; risks include migration, tumour overgrowth, and fistula formation.

Gastrostomy placement

Percutaneous endoscopic or image-guided feeding tube insertion into the stomach; correct gastric apposition to the abdominal wall is essential to avoid leakage and peritonitis.

Central venous access

Ultrasound-guided placement of tunnelled or non-tunnelled catheters into central veins; confirm tip position and exclude pneumothorax before use.

PICC line

Peripherally inserted central catheter advanced from an arm vein to the cavoatrial junction; used for medium- to long-term venous access and vesicant drug administration.

Port-a-cath

Totally implanted central venous access device with a subcutaneous reservoir; requires sterile technique and needle access, and carries infection and thrombosis risk.

Thrombolysis

Catheter-directed delivery of fibrinolytic agents to dissolve thrombus; used in acute limb ischaemia and venous thrombosis, with bleeding as the main risk.

Angioplasty

Balloon dilatation of a stenotic vessel to restore lumen; may cause dissection, rupture, or elastic recoil, often requiring stent placement.

Bare metal stent

Metallic self-expanding or balloon-expandable stent used to maintain vessel patency; restenosis and in-stent stenosis are recognised long-term limitations.

Covered stent

Stent with a fabric or polymer covering that excludes aneurysms, seals perforations, or treats fistulae; may occlude side branches depending on placement.

Endoleak

Persistent blood flow outside the stent graft but within the aneurysm sac after endovascular repair; classified by source and monitored on follow-up imaging.

IVC filter

Device placed in the inferior vena cava to prevent pulmonary embolism when anticoagulation is contraindicated; retrievable filters should be removed once no longer needed.

Nephrostomy tube exchange

Scheduled replacement of a percutaneous renal drainage catheter to maintain patency and reduce infection; confirm position and drainage after exchange.

Bleeding complication

Haemorrhage at the access site or remote site after intervention; assess with clinical review, haemoglobin trend, and imaging, then manage with compression, reversal, or embolisation.

Pseudoaneurysm

Localised arterial wall defect with contained flow outside the vessel lumen, often post-puncture; ultrasound-guided compression or thrombin injection are treatment options.

Arteriovenous fistula

Abnormal direct connection between artery and vein created by trauma or iatrogenic injury; may cause high-output flow, venous hypertension, or steal syndrome.

Radiation dose recording

Documentation of fluoroscopy time, dose-area product, and any skin dose estimate after complex procedures; supports audit, quality improvement, and patient follow-up for deterministic effects.