TIPS, TACE, TARE & RFA/MWA
Advanced Image-Guided Liver Interventions for Portal Hypertension & Liver Tumors
Interventional Radiology offers cutting-edge, minimally invasive treatments for complex liver diseases, including portal hypertension and liver tumors. Procedures such as Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt (TIPS), Transarterial Chemoembolization (TACE), Transarterial Radioembolization (TARE), and Radiofrequency/Microwave Ablation (RFA/MWA) provide effective treatment while avoiding the need for major surgery.
Performed under advanced imaging guidance, these procedures help control symptoms, treat liver cancers, preserve healthy liver tissue, and improve patients’ quality of life with shorter recovery times and reduced complications.
Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt (TIPS)
What is TIPS?
Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt (TIPS) is a minimally invasive procedure used to treat complications of portal hypertension, a condition in which pressure within the liver’s portal vein becomes abnormally high.
During the procedure, an Interventional Radiologist creates a channel within the liver using a small metal stent to connect the portal vein with the hepatic vein. This reduces portal pressure and improves blood flow.
Conditions Treated with TIPS
- Portal hypertension
- Recurrent variceal bleeding
- Esophageal varices
- Gastric varices
- Refractory ascites
- Hepatic hydrothorax
- Budd-Chiari syndrome (selected cases)
Benefits of TIPS
- Reduces portal vein pressure
- Controls life-threatening variceal bleeding
- Improves ascites management
- Minimally invasive alternative to surgery
- Short hospital stay
- Faster recovery
- Improved quality of life
Gastrointestinal (GI) Bleed Embolization
What is TACE?
Transarterial Chemoembolization (TACE) is a targeted treatment for liver cancer in which chemotherapy drugs are delivered directly into the artery supplying the tumor. Tiny embolic particles are then used to block the tumor’s blood supply, trapping the chemotherapy within the tumor while reducing damage to healthy liver tissue.
This procedure is commonly used for patients with liver tumors that cannot be surgically removed.
Conditions Treated
- Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)
- Liver-dominant metastatic tumors
- Inoperable liver cancer
- Recurrent liver tumors
Benefits
- Delivers chemotherapy directly to the tumor
- Blocks the tumor’s blood supply
- Preserves healthy liver tissue
- Minimally invasive treatment
Transarterial Radioembolization (TARE)
What is TARE?
Transarterial Radioembolization (TARE), also known as Selective Internal Radiation Therapy (SIRT), is an advanced liver cancer treatment in which tiny radioactive microspheres are delivered directly into the arteries supplying the liver tumor.
These microspheres release high-dose radiation inside the tumor while minimizing damage to surrounding healthy liver tissue.
Conditions Treated with TARE
- Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)
- Liver metastases
- Cholangiocarcinoma (selected patients)
- Unresectable liver tumors
- Patients unsuitable for surgery
Benefits
- Highly targeted radiation therapy
- Preserves normal liver tissue
- Minimally invasive treatment
- Outpatient or short hospital stay
- Fewer systemic side effects than conventional therapy
Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA) & Microwave Ablation (MWA)
What are RFA and MWA?
Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA) and Microwave Ablation (MWA) are minimally invasive procedures that destroy tumors using heat generated through a thin needle inserted directly into the tumor under imaging guidance.
These treatments are commonly used for small liver tumors and selected tumors in other organs when surgery is not possible or as an alternative to surgical removal.
Conditions Treated
- Small liver cancers
- Liver metastases
- Kidney tumors
- Lung tumors (selected cases)
- Bone tumors (selected cases)
- Recurrent tumors
Benefits
- Destroys tumors without major surgery
- Preserves healthy tissue
- Small skin puncture
- Minimal pain
- Faster recovery
- Short hospital stay
How Are These Procedures Performed?
These advanced liver interventions are performed in a specialized Interventional Radiology suite using ultrasound, CT scan, fluoroscopy, and angiography guidance.
Procedure Overview
- Local anesthesia with sedation or general anesthesia is administered based on the procedure.
- A tiny puncture is made in the neck, groin, or skin depending on the treatment.
- Specialized catheters or ablation needles are guided precisely using real-time imaging.
- The planned treatment—stent placement, chemotherapy delivery, radioactive microspheres, or thermal ablation—is performed.
- Patients are monitored for a short period before discharge.
Most patients recover much faster than with conventional surgery and can resume normal activities within a few days, depending on the procedure performed.
Why Choose Image-Guided Liver Interventions?
Our Interventional Radiology team provides comprehensive minimally invasive treatment for liver diseases using advanced imaging technology and internationally accepted techniques.
Our Advantages
- Expert Interventional Radiologist
- State-of-the-art angiography and imaging systems
- Personalized treatment planning
- Organ-preserving techniques
- Minimally invasive procedures
- High precision and safety
- Faster recovery
- Reduced pain and hospital stay
- Multidisciplinary cancer care approach
- Comprehensive follow-up support
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
TACE delivers chemotherapy directly into the liver tumor and blocks its blood supply, whereas TARE uses tiny radioactive microspheres to deliver targeted internal radiation to the tumor.
No. TIPS is a minimally invasive image-guided procedure performed through a vein in the neck without making large surgical incisions.
These procedures are performed under local anesthesia with sedation or general anesthesia, so patients experience minimal discomfort during treatment.
For selected patients with small tumors, RFA or MWA may provide curative treatment. TACE and TARE are effective therapies that can control tumor growth, improve survival, and may be used before surgery or liver transplantation.
Most patients recover within a few days, although recovery varies depending on the specific procedure and overall health.
No. The choice of treatment depends on the type, size, number, and location of tumors, liver function, and the patient's overall medical condition. An Interventional Radiologist will determine the most appropriate treatment plan.