Intraluminais

Intraluminais is a medical term used to describe entities that are located inside a lumen, the hollow interior of a tubular organ. Lumen refers to the space through which a substance can flow, such as in the gastrointestinal tract, urinary tract, or blood vessels. The term is the plural form related to intraluminal, and it is commonly used in Portuguese-language medical literature to specify conditions, devices, or procedures occurring within these spaces.

In clinical practice, intraluminal refers to processes, lesions, or devices that occupy or interact with the lumen. Examples include intraluminal polyps or lesions in the gastrointestinal tract, intraluminal bleeding, and intraluminal stents or catheters placed inside a lumen. Procedures conducted within a lumen, such as endoscopy, colonoscopy, dilation, polypectomy, and intraluminal drug delivery, are described using this terminology to distinguish them from extraluminal or extravascular contexts.

Imaging and diagnostic assessment of intraluminal structures employ techniques that visualize the lumen directly or from within it. Endoscopic methods (eg, gastroscopy, colonoscopy) provide direct visualization, while intraluminal imaging modalities such as intravascular ultrasound and optical coherence tomography are used to characterize luminal walls and contents. Sampling within a lumen, including biopsies and brush cytology, may also be performed intraluminally.

Therapeutic approaches aimed at intraluminal targets emphasize minimally invasive access and targeted treatment inside the lumen. These include endoscopic resections, dilation of strictures, placement of intraluminal stents, and localized drug delivery. Risks associated with intraluminal procedures include perforation, infection, bleeding, and occlusion of the lumen.

See also: intraluminal devices, extraluminal.