Interventionaalinen

Interventionaalinen is a Finnish adjective meaning relating to intervention. In medical contexts it refers to methods and procedures that involve actively intervening in a patient's anatomy to diagnose or treat a condition, typically using percutaneous or minimally invasive approaches guided by imaging.

In Finnish medical practice, the term is commonly used in connection with interventional radiology and interventional cardiology. Interventional procedures are performed through small skin punctures or natural orifices, guided by imaging such as fluoroscopy, CT, or ultrasound, and aim to treat disease without open surgery.

Examples include angiography with catheter-based interventions (angioplasty and stenting), embolization of vascular malformations or tumors, ablation therapies, and percutaneous biopsies. In oncology, interventionaalinen approaches include chemoembolization or radioembolization and other image-guided tumor therapies.

History and impact: Interventionaalinen medicine emerged in the late 20th century with advances in imaging and catheter technology, expanding to many specialties. Benefits include reduced recovery times, shorter hospital stays, and lower surgical risk for suitable patients. Limitations include potential complication risks, need for specialized equipment, and requirement for dedicated training and multidisciplinary coordination.

See also Interventional radiology; interventional cardiology; minimally invasive therapy.