We used right femoral artery or radial artery access to catheterize the inferior mesenteric artery, proceeding to the superior rectal artery with a 2.7F microcatheter to catheterize and embolise each distal branch distally with PVA particles (300–500 μm) and proximally with coils (2–3 mm). Patients were discharged 24 h after the procedure and clinically followed up at one month by anoscopy. We included 20 patients (4 women and 16 men); mean age, 61.85 years (27–81 years); mean follow-up, 10.6 months (28–2 months). Technical success was achieved in 18 (90%) patients and clinical success in 15 (83.4%); one patient required a second embolisation of the medial rectal artery and two required surgery. Recovery was practically painless. At the one-month follow-up, all patients were very satisfied and anoscopy demonstrated marked improvement of the haemorrhoids. There were no complications secondary to embolisation. Our initial results suggest that selective intra-arterial embolisation is a safe and painless procedure that is well tolerated because it avoids rectal trauma and patients recover immediately. This prospective observational study included all patients undergoing brain MRI including SWI during a 6-month period. Patients were divided into two groups based on the clinical information provided: Group 1 comprised patients in whom SWI acquisition formed part of the brain MRI protocol, and Group comprised patients who underwent SWI without these sequences being included in the protocol. We recorded patients’ age, sex, and risk factors (hypertension, history of brain trauma or intracranial vascular malformations). We analysed the SWI findings, whether these findings were visible on the other sequences, and whether identifying these findings resulted in substantial changes to the radiological report.

With Regards,
Sara Giselle
Associate Managing Editor
Global  Journal of Digestive Diseases