Stories

Interventional radiologist Youhanna Gad, M.D., is passionate about using technology to heal

Youhanna Gad, M.D., a vascular and interventional radiologist, was initially drawn to surgery because he wanted to have an immediate impact on his patients. His introduction to interventional radiology (IR) during his internship year changed the trajectory of his career.

“We were getting patients that couldn’t have surgery, and the interventional radiologists were treating them in ways we couldn’t dream of achieving with surgery,” remembers Dr. Gad. “That got my attention. If surgery was not able to fix the problem and IR could, I wanted to do IR.”

Small procedures, big impact

In interventional radiology, doctors use medical imaging to guide minimally invasive surgical procedures that diagnose, treat and cure many kinds of conditions. IR reduces recovery time, pain and risk to patients who would otherwise need traditional open surgery. Because of this, IR has become the primary way to treat many types of conditions, and the list is constantly growing.

“The big reward of IR is that you can fix problems in a very short period, and you get the outcome instantly,” says Dr. Gad. 

“It’s like surgery without a scalpel. In the past, a woman with fibroid tumors causing bleeding and pain would have had her uterus removed. IR can permanently relieve her symptoms in a 45-minute, minimally invasive procedure.”

Investing in expansion

Philanthropy was instrumental in acquiring the advanced technology to offer IR at Providence St. Mary Medical Center, which helps us attract top physicians like Dr. Gad to the High Desert.

“When I finished my fellowship at Loma Linda, I discovered an urgent and growing need for IR in the High Desert,” shares Dr. Gad. “I wanted to bring IR here, so people didn’t have to go out of the area to get this level of care. Today, we are excited to partner with donors to help us expand the program. There is so much more we can do.”

Dr. Gad is dedicated to making Providence St. Mary’s IR capabilities comparable to the best in the world. He balances his vision with his mission to care for the individual. “I leave my legacy with each patient I treat,” he says. “I’m temporarily part of their lives, and I want them to feel better because they met me.”