Knee Pain Treatment

Nonsurgical Genicular Artery Embolizations (GAE) in Katy

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Osteoarthritis Knee Pain

Osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee is the most common type of arthritis, and approximately 37% of Americans aged 60 or over experience chronic knee pain due to OA.1  Risk factors for OA include older age, female gender, obesity, repetitive use of joints, or prior knee injury.2  Initial conservative treatments include physical therapy and topical anti-inflammatory creams.  For patients with moderate to severe OA and persistent knee pain that impairs quality of life and activity participation, treatment options include oral anti-inflammatory medicines, steroid joint injections, and/or surgery.  Partial or complete knee replacement is a highly effective treatment option for knee OA; however, surgery may not be ideal for patients with multiple co-morbidities or for patients who do not want to undergo surgery.

Recent research has shown a non-surgical treatment option called genicular artery embolization (GAE) can provide effective, long-lasting relief of OA knee pain with no reported serious complications.3-5  A systematic review of the medical literature in 2021 showed that GAE resulted in a 27%, 65%, and 73% decline in the number of patients with OA knee pain who used opioids, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and steroid injections, respectively.6   

GAE is a minimally invasive outpatient procedure where the arteries providing blood flow to the lining of the knee joint are selected with a small IV catheter followed by injection of small microspheres to reduce blood flow.  Reducing the blood flow to the knee joint helps reduce inflammation and pain caused by OA.  Please call or schedule a consultation with Texas IR if you would like to learn more about GAE.

    References:

    1. Lawrence RC, Felson DT, Helmick CG, et al. Estimates of the prevalence of arthritis and other rheumatic conditions in the United States. Part II. Arthritis Rheum 2008; 58(1):26-35.
    2. Heidari B. Knee osteoarthritis prevalence, risk factors, pathogenesis, and features: Part I. Caspian J Intern Med 2011; 2(2):205-212.
    3. Bagla S, Piechowiak R, Hartman T, et al. Genicular artery embolization for the treatment of knee pain secondary to osteoarthritis. JVIR 2020; 31(7):P1096-1102.
    4. Padia SA, Genshaft S, Blumstein G, et al. Genicular artery embolization for the treatment of symptomatic knee osteoarthritis. JBJS Open Access 2021; 6(4):e21.00085.
    5. Shaker M, Mahmoud MSS, Nassar WAM, et al. Role of geniculate artery embolization in the treatment of knee pain secondary to osteoarthritis. Egypt J Radiol Nucl Med 2023; 54(42):1-9.
    6. Torkian P, Golzarian J, Chalian M, et al. Osteoarthriitis-related knee pain treated with genicular artery embolization: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Orthop J Sports Med 2021; 9(7):23259671211021356.

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    Find Your Way to Better Health

    At Texas IR in Katy, we’re committed to offering personalized, non-surgical treatment for knee pain (osteoarthritis) for Houston area patients that prioritizes your comfort and well-being. Our Katy office provides compassionate care with minimally invasive genicular artery embolizations (GAE) for patients across Houston, Sugar Land, Richmond, Fulshear, and other nearby communities. Whether you’re seeking fast recovery with our non-surgical embolization treatments or looking for personalized care in a comfortable, outpatient setting, we’re here to make the process easy. Schedule your consultation today and experience care tailored to your needs.