Managing Your Knee Pain: Gaining Your Life Back

At Minimally Invasive Medical Group, we understand how debilitating chronic knee pain can be. Whether you’re struggling with flare-ups after physical activity, stiffness in the morning, or pain during simple daily tasks, it can feel like your life is being held hostage by your knees. 

While surgery or long-term medication might seem like the only options, there’s an innovative, nonsurgical treatment that may offer significant relief. This treatment is called genicular artery embolization (GAE). 

What is genicular artery embolization? 

Genicular artery embolization is a minimally invasive procedure that treats chronic knee pain caused by osteoarthritis. Unlike traditional therapies like injections or replacement surgeries, GAE focuses on managing pain by targeting its root cause — inflammation. 

We use a thin, flexible catheter to access the blood vessels around your knee, known as genicular arteries. 

Then, we inject tiny particles into these vessels to block blood flow to areas of inflammation, particularly in the lining of the knee joint (synovium). By reducing blood flow to these inflamed areas, GAE helps alleviate pain. 

This FDA-approved procedure is performed on an outpatient basis using twilight sedation, meaning you can return home the same day. It generally takes about 1-2 hours to complete. 

Why inflammation is a key factor in knee pain 

To understand how GAE works, it’s helpful to know why inflammation plays such a big role in knee arthritis-related pain. 

When you have osteoarthritis, the cartilage in your knee gradually breaks down due to wear-and-tear. This damage causes the surrounding tissue, including the synovium, to become inflamed as your body tries to repair the injury. 

Inflammation is a natural response, but in chronic conditions like arthritis, it becomes persistent and harmful. Blood vessels around the knee become overactive, feeding this ongoing inflammation. This is where GAE steps in to block those overactive blood vessels and stop the inflammation. 

Who is a good candidate for GAE 

GAE isn’t for everyone. However, it’s an excellent option for people who meet certain criteria. You might be a good candidate if you are: 

• Between the ages of 40 and 80
• Experiencing moderate to severe knee pain due to osteoarthritis
• Experiencing localized knee tenderness
• Not finding relief from conservative treatments like NSAIDs, physical therapy, or joint injections
• Not ready or eligible for knee replacement surgery

However, we typically don’t recommend GAE for people with advanced osteoarthritis, bony deformities visible on X-rays, or individuals with an active infection. If you’re currently a smoker or have a history of heavy smoking, that can also disqualify you from being eligible for GAE. 

Importantly, undergoing GAE doesn’t rule out the possibility of having knee replacement surgery in the future. Many people use GAE as a bridge to delay surgery while maintaining a better quality of life in the meantime. 

What to expect after GAE 

Recovery from GAE is typically quick and straightforward. You’ll leave our office on the same day as the procedure, and most people start noticing significant pain reductions within the first two weeks. By three months post-procedure, many people report being able to return to activities they thought were off-limits, such as walking, gardening, or yoga. 

One study by the Society of Interventional Radiology revealed that average pain scores dropped from 8 out of 10 to 3 out of 10 just the first week after undergoing GAE. Results like these underscore why this treatment has gained so much attention for its effectiveness in reducing knee pain caused by osteoarthritis. 

While GAE doesn’t reverse cartilage loss, it greatly improves the symptoms associated with arthritis, giving patients a better quality of life without the risks or downtime associated with surgery. 

At Minimally Invasive Medical Group, our team specializes in advanced interventional radiology procedures like GAE. We’re equipped with state-of-the-art technology and a skilled team dedicated to helping you regain mobility and live pain-free. 

If chronic knee pain affects your daily life and you’ve tried other treatments without success, GAE might be the solution you’ve been searching for. 

Book a consultation with us today to find out if this innovative technique is right for you. You can schedule an appointment online or call Minimally Invasive Medical Group in Lake Forest, Mission Viejo, or Irvine, California, today.