Vascular & Interventional Radiologists of Northern Alberta

VIRNA Information for Practitioners

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Call 780-425-8717 Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
For bookings call 780-425-8717 or fax our Consult Requisition to 780-392-1260

Note:
Patients with Acute Critical Limb Ischemia should be sent directly to Emergency at GNH/RAH/UAH.
Patients with Thoracic or Abdominal Aneurysm should be referred directly to Vascular Surgery.
For Joint injections, contact central booking at 780-450-1500.

Off Hours &Emergency Contact

For Vascular Emergency have patient go to Emergency at GNH, RAH, or UAH.

The Interventional Radiologist on call may be contacted by calling the Diagnostic Imaging Department and asking for the IR on call to be paged.
Royal Alexandra Hospital - 780-735-5250
University of Alberta Hospital - 780-407-7231
Grey Nuns Hospital - 780-735-7142 (after 2330hrs call switchboard @ 780-735-7000 and ask for the X-Ray Tech to be paged).

Swoosh

Venous/Arterial Malformation

After careful mapping of the AVM with U/S, CTA or MRA, your patient may be a candidate for embolization of the AVM vs surgery.

Varicose Veins/Chronic Venous Insuffiency

Our MIC Central Booking Staff can help you arrange for you patient to have a venous mapping of their legs – consults will only be performed if U/S is abnormal or if treatment/ advice are desired.

Note: Medically necessary venous treatment is booked in one of our partner hospitals. Cosmetic venous treatment is performed at our MIC clinic in Century Park. Cosmetic treatments are not covered by Alberta Health Care.

Uterine Artery Embolization

As a non-surgical alternative to hysterectomy for patients with symptomatic fibroids, UAE is gaining in popularity.

Pelvic Congestion Syndrome

Often difficult to diagnose and to treat, your Interventional Radiologist can guide you and your patient to a diagnosis and can give your patient a realistic treatment option that may help to reduce their pain and discomfort.

Fallopian Tube Recanalization

This procedure offers a highly successful treatment option with patients seeking fertility after the HSG has shown a proximal blockage of the Fallopian tube or tubes.

Varicocele Embolization

A minimally invasive and highly successful way to treat scrotal varices and the pain, swelling and infertility that accompanies them.

Compression Fractures

Many of our patients live with chronic back pain due to compression fractures of the spine. For suitable patients, we offer a treatment that restores the vertebral body volume with remarkable results in decreasing their level of pain and increasing their mobility.

Epidural Injections

Image guided injection of a corticosteroid can be very beneficial for patients with chronic back pain or sciatica. Our Interventional Radiologists will be able to assess if this could be beneficial for your patient.

Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD) or Arterial Insufficiency

If you are questioning PAD, arterial insufficiency, or you patient has non healing leg/foot ulcers or rest pain, we recommend that you first obtain an Ankle/Brachial Index (ABI). These can be booked with MIC Central Booking at 780-450-1500 or toll free at 1-800-355-1755. Based on the result of the ABI, your patient may benefit from a referral to our VIRNA clinic where we can do a detailed diagnosis of your patient’s arterial inflow and discuss treatment options with them.

Visceral or Peripheral Aneurysm

With the new availability of covered stents our Interventional Radiologist are now able to offer minimally invasive treatment for these types of aneurysms. Your patient’s aneurysm is carefully mapped, then the case is planned. Treatment is completed through a single puncture into the patient’s groin or arm and the patient goes home the same day.

To schedule the following interventional procedures, please call Radiology at GNH, RAH or UAH directly.

Dialysis Evaluation/Intervention

Requires Nephrology consult
Fistulogram
Hemodialysis Catheter Placement

Venous Procedures

DVT Thrombolysis

Urology Intervention

Requires Urology consult
Nephrostomy stent placement
Percutaneous Nephrostomy Tube
Suprapubic Urinary Catheter Placement

Hepatobiliary Intervention

Requires GI/Surgical consult
Percutaneous Biliary Drain/Stent
Percutaneous Transhepatic Cholangiogram
Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt (TIPS)

Gastrointestinal Intervention

Requires GI consult
G tube Placement
G-J tube placement