In August 2025, I had the chance to shadow consultants and fellows in the Neurointerventional Radiology department at Beaumont Hospital, Dublin.

Each morning began with the 8:30 am hurdle, where the interventional radiology coordinator nurse outlined the day’s cases. Afterwards, I would review patients’ medical histories and the indications for their procedures. The rhythm of the department varied considerably. Some days were quiet, but others were intense, with multiple stroke patients arriving from different parts of Ireland for thrombectomy. Demand was so high that elective procedures often had to be cancelled. During the two weeks I spent there, I observed more than 40 procedures. Most were in Neuro IR, but I also had exposure to a range of general IR cases.

Some of the neuro procedures I observed included:

• Thrombectomy
• Flow diversion stenting and aneurysm coiling
• Nerve root blocks for pain management
• Lumbar punctures (including some with intrathecal injections)
• AVM embolisation (and I finally understood the difference between AVMs and AVFs after seeing them in practice)
• Inferior petrosal sinus sampling
• Carotid artery stenting
• Vertebroplasty

In general IR, I saw procedures such as:

• Percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography
• Permacath and nephrostomy tube insertions
• Port insertions
• RIG (radiologically inserted gastrostomy)
• Ultrasound-guided injections

Beyond the procedures themselves, I attended a neurovascular multidisciplinary team meeting, where doctors from different specialties, including the acute stroke unit, general wards and interventional radiology, came together to discuss patient care and discharge planning. I also joined a radiology registrar for a teaching session, where we reviewed imaging findings on X-rays, CTs and MRIs. Another highlight was being involved in the decision-making process for FAST calls, observing neurological examinations and following patients into the recovery area after their procedures.

The experience was exciting but also physically demanding. Standing for hours each day in a heavy lead vest and skirt took a lot out of me. Still, I loved every moment of it. It was amazing to see such a wide range of procedures and the teamwork that goes into caring for patients.