New Approach to Osteoarthritis Knee Pain
Chris Collins, an 81-year-old resident of Marina Bay in Quincy, Massachusetts, loves playing golf and walking her cairn terrier, Fergus. She was determined not to let the severe osteoarthritis in her right knee slow her down.
After four years of steroid injections and physical therapy, though, the pain became unbearable. First, she had to give up golf. Then she had to hire a dog walker.
Chris’ orthopaedic surgeon, who specializes in managing joint conditions and had been overseeing her treatment plan, said she probably needed a knee replacement. However, the idea of undergoing surgery and enduring a long recovery didn’t appeal to Chris. She decided to explore alternatives.
During her research, she came across a relatively new treatment option called genicular artery embolization (GAE). This minimally invasive procedure aims to reduce chronic knee pain caused by osteoarthritis and other degenerative joint conditions.
What she read about GAE intrigued Chris. That led her to schedule an appointment with one of the nation’s foremost experts on GAE, Mass General Brigham interventional radiologist Yan Epelboym, MD, MPH.
I don’t worry about pain anymore. I’ve had a great experience with GAE, and I want other people to know about it.
Reducing inflammation in the arteries of the knee
Blood is supplied to the knee via small blood vessels called the “genicular arteries.” Osteoarthritis can lead to the growth of abnormal blood vessels from these arteries, causing inflammation and knee pain.
GAE takes a targeted approach to reduce painful inflammation in the genicular arteries. During the procedure, an interventional radiologist inserts a thin catheter (tube) into the blood vessels through a small incision, usually in the groin. Using wires and advanced imaging technology, they thread the catheter to the knee area.
The interventional radiologist then injects tiny particles into any genicular arteries showing signs of inflammation. These particles partially block blood flow to the vessels, thus easing the knee pain. Finally, the catheter is removed and the incision site is bandaged. No stitches are required.
GAE typically takes about two hours, and patients almost always go home the same day. Most people can return to normal activities within two weeks and experience pain relief for at least one year.
“Doctors in Japan started exploring GAE around 2015, and it’s becoming more common in the United States,” Dr. Epelboym said. “Even so, awareness of the procedure is pretty low among both patients and physicians.”
Read more tips for relieving knee pain at massgeneralbrigham.org.
