Is Genicular Artery Embolization the Answer to Your Chronic Knee Pain?

Frequent knee pain affects about 25% of adults and is a major reason for knee replacements. Knee pain can be notoriously difficult to treat, due to this complex joint being responsible for major weight bearing. However, there are treatments that fall between pain medication and knee replacement, including genicular artery embolization, or GAE.

At Apex Endovascular, located in Fort Collins, Colorado, Dr. Shawn Ahmed performs genicular artery embolization to treat chronic knee pain and provide lasting relief. Here’s what he wants you to know about this advanced treatment protocol.

Causes of knee pain

Knee pain can have a variety of causes. Acute knee pain can be caused by a trauma, such as a car accident or sporting injury. If not properly treated, acute pain can become chronic, especially as you age and your knee joint begins to degrade.

The most common cause of chronic knee pain in people over the age of 45 is osteoarthritis. As you age, the cartilage around your knee joint slowly wears away, allowing bones to brush against each other. Inflammation and swelling set in, causing sensory nerves in and around the knee joint (genicular nerves) to send constant messages of pain to the brain.

Treatments for knee pain caused by osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis treatment typically comes down to management or joint replacement. Common treatments for osteoarthritic knee pain include:

• Rest and elevation of the legs
• Heat and cold therapies
• Over-the-counter or prescribed pain relievers
• Corticosteroid injections
• Partial or full knee replacement

If conservative treatments aren’t working, but you’re not ready to have a knee replacement, genicular artery embolization could be the answer you’ve been looking for.

Genicular artery embolization for knee pain

Genicular artery embolization is a vascular treatment to resolve chronic knee pain and restore mobility. The first step is confirming knee osteoarthritis, typically with a knee radiograph or MRI.

You’ll be under conscious sedation during the procedure (a sort of twilight state). Dr. Ahmed administers a local anesthetic and uses imaging to guide a thin catheter through a vein in your ankle or upper thigh to your knee. He injects small particles to reduce blood flow to targeted blood vessels around the joint, reducing inflammation and deadening the sensory nerves. 

This is an outpatient procedure, and you’ll return home the same day. Recovery time is just a day or two, and you’ll notice relief for your knee pain in just a couple of weeks. This relief typically lasts two to four years.   

To learn more about GAE and whether or not you’re a good candidate, schedule a consultation with the team at Apex Endovascular by calling 970-508-8439 or by booking an appointment online.