📖 Overview
The vast majority of interventional radiology procedures at Cochin AP-HP are performed under local anaesthesia — with or without conscious sedation. This means you remain awake (or lightly sedated) throughout the procedure, breathe independently, and recover quickly — allowing same-day discharge in most cases.
General anaesthesia is reserved for specific procedures requiring deep immobility or patient comfort: cryoablation of solid tumours, venous recanalisation, some complex embolizations. When GA is required, our patients are managed by the anaesthetic team of Cochin AP-HP within the same interventional suite.
🔧 Types of anaesthesia used
💉 Local anaesthesia only
Lidocaine injection at the skin puncture site. Patient fully awake. Used for: biopsies, PICC lines, most embolizations, angioplasty, varicocele, prostate, fibroids.
😴 Conscious sedation
IV anxiolytic ± light analgesic. Patient sleepy but rousable. Used for: longer procedures, anxious patients, TACE, Y90, vascular access.
🌡️ General anaesthesia
Full GA with intubation or LMA. Required for: cryoablation of tumours, venous recanalisation, complex vascular procedures.
📋 Teleconsultation with anaesthetist
For procedures requiring GA, a pre-anaesthetic teleconsultation is mandatory. Prescription of blood tests and treatment adjustments (anticoagulants, metformin).
🔗 Related pages
🇫🇷 This page is also available in French: anesthesie-locale-sedation-consciente.html