This procedure is performed in patients with acute active bleeding from the abdominal organs (such as liver, kidney) as an urgent procedure. The procedure is performed under aseptic conditions in the angiography suite. During the procedure, local anaesthesia (pain killer) is injected into the skin at the access site to prevent discomfort. Through a pin hole access in the groin blood vessel a small fine tube (catheter) is inserted under X-ray guidance in to the blood vessel that supplies the organ which is bleeding. An angiogram is performed to precisely identify the segment or branch vessel which is bleeding. Then a microcatheter (smaller tube) is inserted through the initial catheter to reach in to the blood vessel as close to the bleeding spot. Then the small branch vessel is blocked from the inside using coils or glue to stop the bleeding.
This can avoid the need for open surgical treatment of the bleeding organ.