DECATUR - Drs. Gregory Gordon and Baljit Deol were preparing to leave for the day on a Friday afternoon several weeks ago when a Decatur-area visitor in great need arrived. Several tests showed the visitor was having an acute stroke, and the doctors quickly stepped into action.

Within an hour, Gordon and Deol were operating; two days later, the visitor was able to walk out the door after surpassing an estimated 95 percent chance of death had he not made it to the Decatur Memorial Hospital interventional radiology unit at the time he did.

All in a day's work for the four fellowship-trained interventional radiologists who have come together at DMH to create a unique and rare team, practicing with cutting-edge technology to treat or prevent life-threatening conditions such as abdominal aortic aneurysms, stroke, vascular disease and liver disease.

"(Dr. Deol) has really made me realize how lucky we are," Gordon said. "I thought I could handle strokes as well as anyone, until I watched him."

"Our ER staff, our neurologists, our hospitalists, our neurosurgeons, also with our interventional radiology department - the multidisciplinary activity was really exceptional," Deol added. "Within an hour, we had things rolling, and (our patient) was saved. All of those people working together was a real pleasure to see."

Interventional radiology is subspecialty of radiology using minimally invasive procedures with image guidance. Some of these procedures are done for purely diagnostic purposes, while others are for treatment. With the addition of Deol to DMH's team just six weeks ago, the program now provides treatment in not only interventional radiology but also neuroradiology, dealing with procedures in the brain, neck and spine.

"He has brought a totally new element of what we do here that none of us even have experience with," said Dr. Frank Facchini. "He is a nice complement to what we think is an excellent group."

The team was essentially recruited by Dr. Michael Sichlau, who came to DMH in 2001. Sichlau became acquainted with Gordon and Facchini during their training at Northwestern University, where each of them found their love for the field.

"I really liked the surgical sub-specialties, and by accident, I discovered a field that found a way to not have to make a big incision and dig way down," Sichlau said. "I got to know the people in the field, and I got into research. By my fourth year of medical school, I knew I wanted to do nothing but interventional radiology.

With each of the doctors having various areas of interest, they are able to share ideas and collaborate.

"We all come from different perspectives, but we all have the same focus of taking care of whoever our patient is at that time," Deol said. "For the community, it's great we can offer therapy for strokes and aneurysms. Now we can intervene and actually do something about it, treat it and improve the patient's outcome."

With each addition both to the team and to the department staff as well, the past few years have brought immense growth in the department. For example, a field of interventional oncology is emerging, Sichlau said, where a wire and catheter can be used to move "up to the door of cancer and blast it with treatment," so as not to affect the rest of the body. Radioactive beads also are being used to treat liver cancers.

"I can tell you that at least once a month, I do something I have never done before," Gordon said. "A neuroscience center of excellence is what we're trying to do."

"We've grown in terms of the volume of procedures; we've grown in complexity of procedures," Sichlau added. "Right now, there is nothing in interventional radiology that we don't do. We've grown in terms of requirements for space and staff, and we're fortunate to be in an environment supported by administration where we're able to earn that space and staff."

The staff is the "heart and soul of the department," Facchini said.

"I would liken them to a military squadron," he said. "There might be a dozen squadrons, but there could be 140 people that get them into the air."

Patients have begun to travel from across the state and even out of state to visit the interdisciplinary practice of the interventional radiology unit at DMH. In addition, the team has conducted training for other doctors in their field as well as industry representatives that come nationwide.

"When your practice is limited to a particular area, you can focus on that area and stay at the cutting edge of your field," Sichlau said. "We've put a section on the map nationally in terms of other interventional radiologists. It's gratifying to be recognized and satisfying to be able to teach, especially to a receptive audience. We've assembled a stellar team."

Facchini said he could name only two other locations in the state with an interventional radiology team of four fellowship-trained individuals: Northwestern University and Rush University, both in the Chicago area.

"For me to be able to work with three other interventional radiologists of this training is rare," Gordon acknowledged. "We're at the cutting edge of technology. We can do amazing things now; it's wonderful. You go home and you're like, 'I did something good today..;'"

Courtney Klemm can be reached at cklemm@herald-review.com or 421-6968.