• UCLA Health
  • myUCLAhealth
  • School of Medicine
UCLA Interventional Radiology

UCLA Interventional Radiology

UCLA Interventional Radiology
  • Back to Main Radiology
  • About Us
  • Conditions Treated
    • Ascites
    • Aneurysm and Dissection
    • Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH)
    • Biliary Leak
    • Biliary Obstruction
    • Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)
    • Encephalopathy
    • Gastrointestinal Bleeding
    • Gastrointestinal Ischemia
    • Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia
    • Liver Cancer
    • Liver Cancer (Metastatic)
    • Malnutrition
    • Obstruction
    • Osteoarthritis of the Knee
    • Peripheral Arterial Disease
    • Pelvic Congestion Syndrome
    • Portal Hypertension
    • Pulmonary Arteriovenous Malformations (AVM)
    • Pulmonary Embolism (PE)
    • Uterine Fibroids
    • Variceal Bleeding
    • Varicocele
    • Varicose/Spider Veins
    • Venous and Lymphatic Malformations
    • Vertebral Fracture
    • Ascites
    • Aneurysm and Dissection
    • Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH)
    • Biliary Leak
    • Biliary Obstruction
    • Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)
    • Encephalopathy
    • Gastrointestinal Bleeding
    • Gastrointestinal Ischemia
    • Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia
    • Liver Cancer
    • Liver Cancer (Metastatic)
    • Malnutrition
    • Obstruction
    • Osteoarthritis of the Knee
    • Peripheral Arterial Disease
    • Pelvic Congestion Syndrome
    • Portal Hypertension
    • Pulmonary Arteriovenous Malformations (AVM)
    • Pulmonary Embolism (PE)
    • Uterine Fibroids
    • Variceal Bleeding
    • Varicocele
    • Venous and Lymphatic Malformations
    • Vertebral Fracture
  • Treatments & Procedures
    • Angiography
    • Angioplasty and Vascular Stenting
    • Arterial Thrombolysis
    • Balloon-Occluded Retrograde Transvenous Obliteration
    • Biliary Drainage
    • Biopsy, Percutaneous
    • Chemoembolization
    • Cyst Aspiration/Sclerosis
    • Dialysis Fistula/Graft Interventions
    • Drainage, Percutaneous
    • Embolization
    • Gastrostomy and Gastrojejunostomy Tube Placement
    • Genicular Artery Embolization (GAE)
    • Inferior Vena Cava Filter Placement and Removal
    • Lung Biopsy
    • Prostate Artery Embolization (PAE)
    • Pulmonary Angiography and Embolization
    • Radioembolization (Y90)
    • Stent Graft Placement
    • Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt (TIPS)
    • Transjugular Liver Biopsy
    • Tumor Ablation
    • Uterine Fibroid Embolization
    • Varicocele Embolization
    • Varicose Vein Treatment
    • Vascular Access Procedures
    • Venous Thrombolysis and Recanalization
    • Vertebroplasty and Kyphoplasty
    • Angiography
    • Angioplasty and Vascular Stenting
    • Arterial Thrombolysis
    • Balloon-Occluded Retrograde Transvenous Obliteration
    • Biliary Drainage
    • Biopsy Percutaneous
    • Chemoembolization
    • Cyst Aspiration/Sclerosis
    • Dialysis Fistula/Graft Interventions
    • Drainage Percutaneous
    • Embolization
    • Gastrostomy and Gastrojejunostomy Tube Placement
    • Genicular Artery Embolization (GAE)
    • Inferior Vena Cava Filter Placement and Removal
    • Lung Biopsy
    • Prostate Artery Embolization (PAE)
    • Pulmonary Angiography and Embolization
    • Radioembolization (Y90)
    • Stent Graft Placement
    • Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt (TIPS)
    • Transjugular Liver Biopsy
    • Tumor Ablation
    • Uterine Fibroid Embolization
    • Varicocele Embolization
    • Vascular Access Procedures
    • Venous thrombolysis and recanalization
    • Vertebroplasty and Kyphoplasty
  • Schedule An Appointment
  • Contact Us
  • Our Expert Team
  • UCLA Health
  • myUCLAhealth
  • School of Medicine

UCLA Interventional Radiology

Treatments & Procedures

Treatments & Procedures

Treatments & Procedures

  • Angiography
  • Angioplasty and Vascular Stenting
  • Arterial Thrombolysis
  • Balloon-Occluded Retrograde Transvenous Obliteration
  • Biliary Drainage
  • Biopsy Percutaneous
  • Chemoembolization
  • Cyst Aspiration/Sclerosis
  • Dialysis Fistula/Graft Interventions
  • Drainage Percutaneous
  • Embolization
  • Gastrostomy and Gastrojejunostomy Tube Placement
  • Genicular Artery Embolization (GAE)
  • Inferior Vena Cava Filter Placement and Removal
  • Lung Biopsy
  • Prostate Artery Embolization (PAE)
  • Pulmonary Angiography and Embolization
  • Radioembolization (Y90)
  • Stent Graft Placement
  • Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt (TIPS)
  • Transjugular Liver Biopsy
  • Tumor Ablation
  • Uterine Fibroid Embolization
  • Varicocele Embolization
  • Vascular Access Procedures
  • Venous thrombolysis and recanalization
  • Vertebroplasty and Kyphoplasty
  • Angiography
  • Angioplasty and Vascular Stenting
  • Arterial Thrombolysis
  • Balloon-Occluded Retrograde Transvenous Obliteration
  • Biliary Drainage
  • Biopsy Percutaneous
  • Chemoembolization
  • Cyst Aspiration/Sclerosis
  • Dialysis Fistula/Graft Interventions
  • Drainage Percutaneous
  • Embolization
  • Gastrostomy and Gastrojejunostomy Tube Placement
  • Genicular Artery Embolization (GAE)
  • Inferior Vena Cava Filter Placement and Removal
  • Lung Biopsy
  • Prostate Artery Embolization (PAE)
  • Pulmonary Angiography and Embolization
  • Radioembolization (Y90)
  • Stent Graft Placement
  • Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt (TIPS)
  • Transjugular Liver Biopsy
  • Tumor Ablation
  • Uterine Fibroid Embolization
  • Varicocele Embolization
  • Vascular Access Procedures
  • Venous thrombolysis and recanalization
  • Vertebroplasty and Kyphoplasty
  1. Home
  2. UCLA Interventional Radiology
  3. Treatments & Procedures
  4. Vascular Access Procedures

Vascular Access Procedures

Share this

Permacath

Treatment for:

Venous access

Why it’s done:

Permacaths provide long-term central venous access for treatments which require high flow rates, such as dialysis or plasmapheresis.

How it’s done:

An interventional radiologist uses ultrasound to access the target vein, most commonly the internal jugular vein in the neck. X-rays are then used to guide placement of the catheter so that the tip lies in the central veins near the heart. The catheter is tunneled beneath the skin and exits the skin usually in the upper chest.

Vascular-Access-Procedures-original.png

Level of anesthesia:

Conscious sedation

Risks:

Small risk of bleeding or infection. Catheters can sometimes break or clog, necessitating replacement. X-rays are used.

Post-procedure:

One to three hours in recovery, then discharge home. The catheter can be used immediately. The catheter exit site should be kept clean and dry.

Follow-up:

With referring physician. If problems with the catheter occur, contact your interventional radiologist.

Hickman or Groshong catheter placement

Treatment for:

Venous access

Why it’s done:

Hickman or Groshong catheters provide long-term central venous access for treatments such as chemotherapy, TPN, or antibiotics, and can be used for blood draws. A Groshong catheter has a valve at the tip, while Hickman catheters do not.

How it’s done:

An interventional radiologist uses ultrasound to access the target vein, most commonly the internal jugular vein in the neck. X-rays are then used to guide placement of the catheter so that the tip lies in the central veins near the heart. The catheter is tunneled beneath the skin and exits the skin usually in the upper chest.

Level of anesthesia:

Conscious sedation

Risks:

Small risk of bleeding or infection. Catheters can sometimes break or clog, necessitating replacement. X-rays are used.

Post-procedure:

One to three hours in recovery, then discharge home. The catheter can be used immediately. The catheter exit site should be kept clean and dry.

Follow-up:

With referring physician. If problems with the catheter occur, contact your interventional radiologist.

Peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC)

Treatment for:

Venous access

Why it’s done:

PICCs provide intermediate-term (1 week to 2 months) central venous access for treatments such as chemotherapy, TPN, or antibiotics, and can be used for blood draws.

How it’s done:

An interventional radiology nurse practitioner or physician uses ultrasound to access one of the veins in the arm, and the catheter is passed centrally into the vein until the tip lies in the central veins near the heart. PICCs are non-tunneled catheters.

Level of anesthesia:

Local anesthesia only

Risks:

Small risk of bleeding, infection or arrhythmia. Clot may form around the catheter in the arm vein or central vein, and may require catheter removal and/or anticoagulation.

Post-procedure:

No bed rest required. The catheter may be used immediately.

Follow-up:

With referring physician. If problems with the catheter occur, contact the PICC team.

Port catheter placement

Treatment for:

Venous access

Why it’s done:

Port catheters (or Port-a-caths, or ports) provide long-term central venous access for treatments such as chemotherapy, TPN, or antibiotics, and can be used for blood draws. Unlike other types of catheters, ports are entirely under the skin, which makes them less prone to infection, allows for bathing and swimming, and makes them less conspicuous to others.

How it’s done:

An interventional radiologist uses ultrasound to access the target vein, most commonly the internal jugular vein in the neck. X-rays are then used to guide placement of the catheter so that the tip lies in the central veins near the heart. The catheter is tunneled beneath the skin and is connected to a port in the upper chest, which is inserted using a small incision. The port lies beneath the skin and can be accessed through the skin using a special needle.

Level of anesthesia:

Conscious sedation

Risks:

Small risk of bleeding or infection. The port or catheter can sometimes break or clog, necessitating replacement.

Post-procedure:

One to three hours in recovery, then discharge home. The port can be used immediately.

Follow-up:

A wound check is typically performed one week after the procedure in interventional radiology clinic. If problems with the catheter occur, contact your interventional radiologist.

For More Information:

For more information or to schedule an appointment with one of our IR physicians, please call 310-481-7545.

Like Us on Facebook Follow Us on Twitter Subscribe to Our Videos on YouTube Follow us on Instagram Connect with Us on LinkedIn Follow us on Pinterest
UCLA Health hospitals ranked best hospitals by U.S. News & World Report
  • UCLA Health
  • Find a Doctor
  • School of Medicine
  • School of Nursing
  • UCLA Campus
  • Directory
  • Newsroom
  • Subscribe
  • Patient Stories
  • Giving
  • Careers
  • Volunteer
  • International Services
  • Privacy Practices
  • Nondiscrimination
  • Billing
  • Health Plans
  • Emergency
  • Report Broken Links
  • Terms of Use
  • 1-310-825-2631
  • Maps & Directions
  • Contact Us
  • Your Feedback
  • Report Misconduct
  • Get Social
  • Sitemap
Like Us on Facebook Follow Us on Twitter Subscribe to Our Videos on YouTube Follow us on Instagram Connect with Us on LinkedIn Follow us on Pinterest

Sign in to myUCLAhealth

Learn more about myUCLAhealth