percutaneously

Percutaneously, meaning through the skin, is used in medicine to describe procedures performed by penetrating the skin with a needle, catheter, or other instrument rather than via an open incision. In clinical practice, percutaneous techniques are often guided by imaging and aim to minimize tissue disruption.

Common percutaneous procedures include needle biopsy, percutaneous drainage of abscesses or fluid collections, and percutaneous catheter placements (such as central venous or arterial access). Endovascular and interventional radiology procedures, such as percutaneous coronary intervention, peripheral angioplasty, embolization, and drain placements, are also typically performed percutaneously under imaging guidance using ultrasound, fluoroscopy, CT, or MRI.

Indications include obtaining tissue for diagnosis, removing or draining pathological collections, delivering therapies, or gaining vascular or organ access for treatment. Percutaneous approaches are chosen to reduce invasiveness, shorten recovery, and allow outpatient management when feasible.

Advantages over open surgery often include smaller wounds, less anesthesia, reduced blood loss, faster recovery, and shorter hospital stays. Potential risks include infection, bleeding or hematoma, injury to nearby structures, contrast reactions, and radiation exposure. Other considerations include patient anatomy, coagulation status, and the quality of imaging guidance.

Training and practice regions vary; percutaneous techniques are central to interventional radiology and interventional cardiology, with other specialties contributing specific approaches. The success and safety of percutaneous procedures rely on appropriate patient selection, meticulous technique, and appropriate imaging support.