Al Hayat Center

Al Hayat Center

About the Department

Al Hayat Center for Interventional Radiology and Neurointervention provides innovative treatments and medical services of the highest quality to offer comprehensive and safe care for patients seeking the benefits of interventional radiology and cerebral catheter angiography, without the need to travel abroad for treatment.

The Al Hayat Center for Interventional Radiology and Neurointervention is one of the most important and advanced centers for interventional radiology and cerebral catheter angiography in Iraq. It was inaugurated on October 15, 2022, under the patronage of the Imam Hussain Holy Shrine and the Health and Medical Education Authority. The center is equipped with the latest devices from Philips company, under the supervision of a specialized team of highly skilled Iraqi and foreign doctors, nurses, technicians, and engineers.

Services at the Al Hayat Center for Interventional Radiology: 

The center welcomes patients every day of the week during official hours on the first floor of Warith International Cancer Institute (WICI). Services are provided through prior appointments coordinated with a select group of Iraqi and international specialists in interventional radiology and brain catheterization. Discover our key services.

Treatment of varicose veins with interventional radiology: 
Al Hayat Center for Interventional Radiology in Iraq offers the latest techniques for treating varicose veins without surgery, using interventional radiology methods. The procedure takes 30 minutes and involves using a laser or radiofrequency to close the enlarged veins.
First, a local anesthetic is applied to the area to be treated, followed by a small incision in the skin to insert a catheter into the affected vein. Electromagnetic imaging is then used to direct laser light toward the affected veins, causing the walls of the veins to heat up and contract. Sclerosant substances may be injected into the smaller veins and capillaries. Blood flow in the adjacent healthy veins improves after the damaged veins are closed.
This treatment method offers several advantages over traditional surgery. It is a non-surgical procedure that does not require general anesthesia or a hospital stay. The recovery period is shorter, and patients can return to normal activities more quickly, often going home the same day. Additionally, the recurrence rate of varicose veins after this treatment is low.

Treatment of varicocele with interventional radiology:
Varicocele treatment with interventional radiology begins with the application of local anesthesia. A fine catheter is then guided toward the enlarged veins in the testicle using X-ray or ultrasound imaging. The enlarged veins are subsequently closed with spiral coils or sclerosing agents, leading to improved blood flow in the testicle after the affected veins are closed.
Interventional radiology treatment is a minimally invasive, non-surgical procedure, that results in fewer potential surgical complications and faster recovery. Varicocele treatment using interventional radiology achieves high success rates by improving symptoms such as pain and swelling. Due to its non-invasive nature, it is also less painful and causes less swelling than traditional surgery.
Interventional radiology treatment helps restore and improve male fertility by enhancing blood flow and closing the enlarged veins, unlike traditional surgery, which can negatively impact fertility due to the potential for accidental ligation of the spermatic cord. Additionally, it allows for the treatment of both testicles, if needed, during the same procedure, which is not typically feasible with traditional surgery.

Treatment of uterine fibroids with interventional radiology:
Interventional radiology for treating fibroids involves precisely directing tiny particles toward the artery supplying the tumor, thereby blocking its blood flow and reducing the size of the fibroid.
The treatment of fibroids with interventional radiology is a non-surgical method, which reduces complications and speeds up recovery. The precise targeting of particles only towards the artery supplying the tumor ensures that the fibroids are targeted while sparing healthy tissue, thereby minimizing harmful effects.
The treatment is performed under local anesthesia, rather than general anesthesia, which reduces side effects compared to other treatments such as surgery. Importantly, interventional radiology allows for the treatment of fibroids without resorting to a hysterectomy, preserving the possibility of future pregnancies.

Treatment of thyroid gland enlargement with interventional radiology:
Interventional radiology for treating thyroid enlargement uses precise imaging techniques to guide a catheter accurately toward the thyroid gland. The goal is to target the nodules and destroy excess thyroid cells via cauterization to reduce the gland's size. The treatment area is predetermined using 3D imaging of the thyroid gland.
Interventional radiology treatment of the enlarged thyroid gland is highly effective and can reduce the size of the gland by 50-60%. Being a non-invasive treatment, it is easy to perform and has a shorter recovery time than surgery.
Preserving thyroid function is one of the main benefits of interventional radiology treatment, so patients do not need lifelong hormone replacement therapy.

Treatment of prostate enlargement with interventional radiology:
Interventional radiology for treating prostate enlargement involves inserting a fine catheter into the arteries in the prostate area to deliver medication directly to the prostate's blood vessels. This medication works by occluding the blood vessels and reducing blood flow to the prostate, gradually decreasing its size. Symptoms associated with prostate enlargement, such as difficulty urinating and weak urine flow, improve over time.
Interventional radiology for prostate enlargement is a non-surgical treatment that does not require general anesthesia. This reduces the risks associated with traditional surgery and shortens the recovery period, making it an optimal solution for elderly patients who are unable to undergo general anesthesia.
Interventional radiology directly targets the prostate with minimal impact on surrounding nerves and tissues, reducing or avoiding retrograde ejaculation, a serious complication often associated with traditional surgery. Additionally, this treatment eliminates the need for long-term urinary catheterization after the procedure. Patients also avoid the need for medications to manage prostate enlargement symptoms, thereby protecting themselves from the side effects of these drugs.

Treatment of tumors with interventional radiology:
Interventional radiology for tumor treatment relies on several image-guided procedures, including:
-          Arterial Embolization: This minimally invasive technique blocks blood flow to the tumor, making it useful for treating tumors dependent on blood supply for growth, as well as those that are difficult or impossible to remove surgically.
A catheter is inserted into the artery and guided using real-time imaging to place tiny particles that block the blood vessels, preventing oxygenated blood and nutrients from reaching the tumor.
The tumor may be directly injected with chemotherapy drugs (chemoembolization) to reduce side effects or injected with radioactive beads (radioembolization) to treat the growth without affecting healthy tissues.
-          Tumor Cryoablation: The tumor is cooled to temperatures well below freezing using a cryoablation device, leading to the destruction of cancer cells due to a cessation of their blood supply.
-          Radiofrequency and Microwave Ablation: Delivering radiofrequency or microwave waves directly to the tumor heats the tissues until they are destroyed.

Treatment of cerebral arteriovenous malformations:
The goal of treating cerebral arteriovenous malformations is to reduce the risk of bleeding or eliminate it permanently, despite the difficulty of completely removing arteriovenous malformations through surgery, as the center of the malformation develops new connections, which may lead to the malformation regrowing.
Cerebral arteriovenous malformations are treated using the latest global techniques by occluding the arteries with spiral coils or embolic materials through a cerebral catheter angiography. These modern approaches aim to reduce the risk of bleeding or eliminate it permanently, despite the difficulty of completely removing the malformations.

Treatment of brain aneurysms:
Endovascular treatments for brain aneurysms using cerebral catheter angiography are minimally invasive interventions within the body’s arteries, eliminating the need for open surgery.
After inserting the catheter into the femoral artery, it is guided to the dilated blood vessel in the brain. This catheter releases coils or stents to redirect blood flow away from the aneurysm, thereby reducing the risk of rupture of the dilated vessels.

Treatment of brain tumors via catheterization:
The interventional radiology technique for treating tumors aims to stop the blood supply nourishing the growth through minimally invasive intervention. This is done by placing a catheter in the patient's thigh and carefully guiding it to the blood vessels feeding the tumor under X-ray guidance. The blood vessels supplying the growth are imaged to ensure the safety of occluding this blood vessel. A substance that blocks the blood vessels or chemotherapy drugs are then injected.
The goal of cerebral catheter angiography is to cut off the blood supply to the tumor and occlude as many blood vessels as possible to reduce blood loss during surgery. Therefore, cerebral catheter angiography is considered an adjunct procedure to open surgery for brain tumors.
Al Hayat Center for Interventional Radiology and Neurointervention at Warith International Cancer Institute (WICI) is equipped with the world’s latest catheterization device (Azurion 7B 20 Clarity). This device allows for imaging of arteries and veins without the need for contrast agents, which is particularly important for patients with renal impairment.

Treatment of spinal arteriovenous malformations:
The treatment of spinal arteriovenous malformations is performed using a minimally invasive approach, without surgery. This involves therapeutic catheterization through a small surgical incision to inject small, specialized coils, medical glue, or particles directly into the abnormal blood vessel connections to close them.
The procedure is carried out by placing a small plastic tube into the blood vessels, using high-quality X-ray imaging to guide the tube's insertion and ensure it is in the correct position before treating the arteriovenous malformation (AVM) or dural arteriovenous fistula (DAVF).

Treatment of retinal tumors via arterial catheterization:
Intra-arterial chemotherapy is the ideal treatment for children to preserve the affected eye and is performed in interventional radiology suites.
The cure rate for advanced retinoblastoma has exceeded 70% with selective intra-arterial chemotherapy known as Ophthalmic Artery Chemosurgery (OAC) administered through the artery supplying blood to the eye. This allows for the preservation of the eye and its visual function.

Treatment of cerebral vascular stenosis:
Cerebral vascular stenosis treatment using interventional radiology involves catheter-based procedures to widen narrowed arteries or veins within the brain. This is achieved by placing a stent in a partially obstructed artery due to abnormal thickening of the artery wall. The stent expands the artery to its normal size and smooths its inner surface to enhance blood flow.

Diagnostic cerebral catheter angiography for various vascular problems:
Cerebral catheter angiography provides precise evaluation and effective diagnosis of various vascular issues due to its ability to pinpoint the location, severity, and impact of blockages in brain arteries. It also helps determine the size and severity of tumors and vascular malformations.
Cerebral catheter angiography helps determine how blood flows to specific brain areas to identify the appropriate treatment. It can also guide interventional procedures, such as placing stents to open arteries, using balloons to expand narrowed arteries, or occluding blood supply with coils or sclerosing agents.