Not Ready for a Total Knee Replacement? Control OA Pain Long-Term with GAE

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common type of arthritis, affecting millions of people worldwide. While it can affect other joints, OA is especially common in the knee.

Frequently caused by wear-and-tear, OA swelling, pain, and stiffness can interfere with your ability to move well, disrupt your moods and sleep, and reduce your overall quality of life. 

Genicular artery embolization (GAE) provides a minimally invasive way to find lasting OA relief when you aren’t ready for a total knee replacement.

With his expert team at Midtown Manhattan practice, double board-certified vascular and interventional radiologist Dr. Yosef Golowa offers GAE for good candidates.

May is Arthritis Awareness Month, making it a particularly good time to consider this option for long-term benefits. 

How GAE works

Genicular artery embolization blocks blood flow to the lining of your knee. Less blood in the tissue means less inflammation – a leading cause of osteoarthritis pain.

While GAE doesn’t reverse the cartilage damage of osteoarthritis, it may slow down the progression while significantly reducing OA knee aches and tenderness.

GAE may also allow you to rely less on other treatments, such as medication, and make exercise and physical therapy more feasible and effective. Some people opt for GAE when their arthritis medication has become less effective after years of use.

What happens during GAE

Dr. Golowa performs GAE on an outpatient basis, so you’ll be able to return home the same day. During the procedure, he inserts a catheter into an artery in your thigh that provides your knee lining with blood. Then, using X-ray imagery for guidance, he injects tiny gel particles into the artery.

Because you’ll be under twilight sedation during GAE, you won’t feel any pain or discomfort or recall much, if anything, from the procedure. Still, you should avoid driving for 24 hours.

GAE results

We find that patients experience less knee pain within two weeks of the GAE procedure. Individual results vary, but research shows that GAE typically reduces knee arthritis pain and improves knee function for at least three months. Other data shows GAE benefits lasting for 6-24 months, or even several years.

If or when your osteoarthritis symptoms return, you can have additional genicular artery embolization treatment. At that point, you could also consider knee replacement surgery if you’re a candidate.

To find out if GAE is right for you or learn more about the procedure, call our office today. You can also book an appointment with Dr. Golowa through our website. He can also recommend other noninvasive OA treatments, such as steroid or hyaluronic acid injections.