At the Georgia Knee Institute, our Atlanta-based interventional radiologists ease arthritis pain in your knee with Genicular Artery Embolization (GAE.) This minimally invasive procedure reduces inflammation and pain in the synovial lining of the knee. And it does so by limiting the flow of blood to the area. As a relatively new procedure, long-term GAE data is limited. But, the evidence we do have? It's looking pretty promising! Let's take a closer look.

How Well Does GAE Ease Arthritis Pain in the Knee?

Three years ago, at the 2021 Society of Interventional Radiology’s Annual Scientific Meeting, researchers presented findings on how patients' could still ease their arthritis pain one year after undergoing the GAE procedure. Researchers followed 40 adults, aged 40 to 80, all of whom were livingwith mild to moderate knee osteoarthritis. This is what they discovered.

One full year after having the GAE knee procedure, study participants reported a 63% decrease in personal pain. Plus, they recorded a 60% reduction on the WOMAC osteoarthritis index score. (Also known as the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index, this index assesses hip and knee osteoarthritis progression by recoding experienced stiffness, pain and challenges to physical function. If your score is lower, that means you've been able to ease arthritis pain and limits on mobility.)

Best of all, no study participant experienced major side effects after having GAE. And adverse events that did occur were mild and self-resolving, for the most part. Combined with the fact that each patient's procedure was 100% successful from a technical standpoint, Dr. Siddharth A. Padia, lead study author, said that GAE gives interventional radiologists “the potential to completely disrupt and change the way patients are treated with knee osteoarthritis.”

Finding Osteoarthritis Knee Pain Relief in Georgia

Want to secure knee pain relief without invasive knee replacement surgery? Genicular Artery Embolization at the Georgia Knee Institute could be the ideal treatment option. Find out if you're a candidate by [tx-appt-link] requesting a consultation [/tx-appt-link] with our experts.

If you’re living with knee osteoarthritis pain and exploring treatment options, you'll probably compare genicular artery embolization vs knee surgery. But what are these procedures? And how can you tell which is your best treatment option? Keep reading for all the details.

Exploring Knee Surgery

During knee replacement surgery, damaged bone and cartilage is removed from the kneecap and some surrounding areas. Next, it's replaced with a plastic or metal artificial knee joint, built to replicate a natural knee's movements.

Now, this is an invasive procedure that requires general or regional anesthesia. But the surgery is not lengthy, typically lasting between one and two hours. After the procedure, doctors will close your incision site with sutures or staples before dressing the wound. As such, you’ll have to care for your wound during the recovery period, while following all other post-operative instructions from your doctor.

What is Genicular Artery Embolization

What's different about genicular artery embolization vs knee surgery? Unlike surgical procedures, genicular artery embolization (GAE) is minimally invasive. And, instead of replacing your knee, it reduces knee osteoarthritis pain and inflammation by limiting blood flow to the knee's lining. This knee procedure also lasts between one and two hours, but it is an outpatient procedure, so you can be mildly sedated instead of undergoing general anesthesia. Also, instead of a large incision, our interventional radiologists insert a catheter through a small opening into the artery. Then, with the help of X-ray guidance, it's positioned to access your knee lining. Once in place, we inject the catheter with tiny particles that block blood flow to the area, providing an extended period of knee pain relief following the procedure.

Genicular Artery Embolization Vs. Knee Replacement Recovery

After knee replacement surgery, most patients spend between one and three nights in the hospital. The recovery period is also extensive, lasting up to a full year, though most people resume normal activities at the six week post-operative mark. Also, many patients need physical therapy to fully recover, and face significant pain following their procedure.  

In contrast, the genicular artery embolization recovery period is much shorter. You will likely go home on the same day as your procedure, and can get back to light activities about one week later. It's normal to experience some discomfort in the first days after GAE, but that will be temporary, and knee pain relief should become apparent within two weeks of the procedure.

Finding the Best Osteoarthritis Knee Pain Relief

Choosing betweem genicular artery embolization vs knee surgery? Consider this: knee replacement surgery provides lasting relief. But it requires a stay in the hospital and an extended rehabilitation period, as well as higher risks for complications. Also, you must be cleared for surgery in order to choose this treatment option.

Now, if you choose GAE at the Georgia Knee Institute, you'll get months or even years of knee pain relief, along with improved mobility. And that will come without hospital stays or general anesthesia, or risks for serious complications. Plus, you undergo multiple GAE procedures, allowing you to delay or avoid surgery. Want to learn more about GAE in Georgia? Click here to request a consultation

Knee pain caused by osteoarthritis can keep you from enjoying your favorite activities.  Once, your best treatment option would have been a total knee replacement surgery. But the surgery is expensive and invasive; afterward, you'd face a long recovery, and you might not find adequate relief afterward. As such, many people hoped for a non-surgical alternative. And, today, however, that's available thanks to genicular artery embolization (GAE), a minimally-invasive procedure that reduces or eliminates osteoarthritis knee pain without general anesthesia or stays overnight in the hospital. Learn all about it in today's post.

Genicular Artery Embolization: Non-Surgical Relief for Knee Pain

For many patients, GAE is a better knee pain treatment than knee surgery. Why, because the procedure is less-invasive and non-surgical, complication risks are minimal risk for complications. Avoiding overnight hospital stays and general anesthesia also makes GAE less expensive than surgery, and insurance will usually cover the procedure.  Plus, by addressing inflammation, a key cause of osteoarthritis knee pain, it can effectively improve your quality of life by reducing pain and boosting mobility.

Inside the GAE Procedure

To perform the Genicular Artery Embolization, we direct a catheter to target the genicular arteries around your knee, then we deposit embolic material that will reduce blood flow to those arteries. With less blood flow comes less inflammation, allowing most patients to experience knee pain relief and improved mobility after GAE.

Inside the Post-GAE Recovery Period

Most patients resume normal activities a few days after starting their GAE recovery. But knee pain relief will first start 4-6 weeks after GAE. (Results will improve further over time.) Plus, because the procedure is minimally invasive, discomfort after GAE is typically mild, usually manageable with over-the-counter pain medication.

Do you want non-surgical knee pain relief? Do you want to treat knee osteoarthritis with an alternative to surgery? GAE could be your best treatment option. Click here to request a consultation at the Georgia Knee Institute, and we’ll review your candidacy for genicular artery embolization.

Knee osteoarthritis is a progressive disease. And that means that your mobility could be compromised and your symptoms will worsen as time passes. In fact, we classify your osteoarthritis symptoms in four stages. And identifying problems at an earlier stage can help you seek earlier interventions and delay or prevent progressions.

Understanding Knee Osteoarthritis

Knee osteoarthritis impacts both joint function and mobility. It is an incurable, progressive disease. Diagnoses come in stages that are dependent on symptoms and joint damage. Early intervention can help your preserve mobility; it may also help prevent or delay progression.

Stage 0

This stage means you have a healthy knee with no symptoms of arthritis. You will not show any signs of joint damage, and won't need any intervention to stay active and pain-free.

Stage 1: Minor Knee Osteoarthritis

Here, knee joints can show signs of minor wear and tear. There may be small signs of bone spur growth on joints, but most stage 1 patients don't experience knee pain. At this stage, you may wish to engage in knee health exercises, as that could help prevent disease progression.

Stage 2

Here, there will be more noticeable signs of bone spur growth on knee joints. While the space between joints should still appear normal, stage 2 knee osteoarthritis is likely to leave you experiencing joint pain and stiffness. (These symptoms will likely be worse after you exercise, sit for extended periods of time, or when getting out of bed in the morning). At this stage of progression, cartilage could also start breaking down. You may be able to manage progression and pain with lifestyle measures. However, you may need additional interventions for relief.

Stage 3: Moderate Knee Osteoarthritis

Stage 3 patients display obvious erosion of cartilage and a narrowing of the gap between bones. Joint inflammation causes stiffness and pain, and your knees may pop or make a snapping sound with walking. Pain medications may help with symptom management, but many patients will need to seek additional interventions.

Stage 4

This severe knee osteoarthritis has caused joint stiffness due to significant cartilage erosion. There will also be very little space between your bones, and decreased levels of synovial fluid will lead to pain and friction with joint movement. As a result, once your disease progresses to stage 4, it will be difficult to complete even your simplest daily tasks. In fact, many patients turn to surgical treatment at this stage. But, if you seek medical interventions for stage 2 or 3 knee osteoarthritis, our Georgia Knee Institute team can treat your condition without surgery.

GAE for Stage 2 and 3 Knee Osteoarthritis

Genicular artery embolization (GAE) is a non-surgical medical procedure. It can slow the progression of knee osteoarthritis, and is a procedure best suited for treating people with stage 2 and 3 osteoarthritis who don't find relief from other, non-surgical interventions. The procedure reduces symptoms by diminishing blood flow to the knee lining. After the GAE procedure, most patients can walk within two to three hours, and usually return to normal activities the next day. Apparent symptom relief usually appears within a few weeks?

Ready to learn more about GAE for knee osteoarthritis? We’re here to help. Click here to request an appointment  at the Georgia Knee Institute.

If you want to explore non-surgical treatment for knee pain, you may be wondering if these options provide effective relief. That's especially true if you can't or prefer not to undergo a surgical procedure like a total knee replacement. So, can you say goodbye to pain without going in for an operation? Keep reading for all the important details.

Understanding Non-Surgical Treatment for Knee Pain

Years ago, if you wanted non-surgical treatment options for knee osteoarthritis you could switch up your lifestyle or take medication. Initially, these options were quite effective; however, if your arthritis pain was moderate to severe, you were unlikely to experience relief without surgery.

Today, thanks to innovations in interventional radiology, you can treat your knee pain with minimally invasive Genicular Artery Embolization. And, with the emergence of new studies like those presented at the recent annual meeting for the Society of Interventional Radiology, we know that GAE significantly reduces pain for patients with knee pain due to osteoarthritis. In fact, we know that the procedure is especially beneficial for patients who are 50 years of age or older.

When presenting these findings, MedStar Georgetown University Hospital physician Kaitlin Carrato said, "We know this treatment has clear benefits in reducing pain and improving the ability to do everyday activities for patients. But now that we know it's particularly helpful for those over 50 years old, it may mean that those with chronic pain conditions, like arthritis, would benefit more from this treatment than patients suffering acute pain, such as an injury."

Do you want to learn more about non-surgical treatment for knee pain? Hoping to treat osteoarthritis of the knee without sleeping in the hospital or dealing with knee replacement surgery? Come learn more about the GAE procedure in Georgia by clicking here to request an appointment today.

Walking backward is trending on Tik Tok. Proponents claim it's a miracle cure for everything from running injuries to boredom when exercising. But, recently, reports have emerged that it can also help manage knee pain due to osteoarthritis. Could that be true? Keep reading to find out!

Walking Backward for Knee Pain

When you have knee pain due to osteoarthritis, you may suffer additional symptoms including, stiffness, swelling and limited mobility. As such, many people seek medical interventions such as Genicular Artery Embolization to relieve their arthritis pain without surgery.

However, since some patients prefer to manage arthritis with non-invasive lifestyle treatments, interest in walking backward is growing steadily. But how can this exercise help? Here's the story: moving backward engages different muscle groups, quickly relieving joint pressure in the knees.

Specifically, this form of movement engages the muscles in your quadriceps. And, in doing so, you can give your knee muscles a good stretch, helping boost mobility and reduce pain. Ready to give this workout to relieve arthritis pain a try? Remember that you're more likely to fall or trip when walking backward. So go slow, train indoors, and walk with supervision whenever possible.

Going Beyond the Relief of Walking Backward

Lifestyle interventions such as exercise typically work well for patients with mild to moderate knee arthritis pain. But once your condition progresses, you will likely need a medical intervention to relieve your knee pain.Ready to relieve your pain but want to avoid surgery? Click here to request an appointment at the Georgia Knee Institute to see if you're a candidate for genicular artery embolization.

You may have heard that osteoarthritis knee exercises can help manage your condition. And, while you can't cure arthritis, you can help reduce pain and stiffness by getting regular exercise. Still, if you want long-lasting relief, you may need to explore medical solutions.

These osteoarthritis knee exercises can help

Any form of exercise can help build muscle strength, taking pressure off your joints. Exercising regularly will also help you maintain your weight, mobility and balance. Just remember, before you try any of these osteoarthritis knee exercises, be sure to clear your routine with your doctor:

• Stretch every day
• Work with weights, resistance bands, or weight machines, on alternating days
• On most days, engage in moderate, joint-friendly cardio such as swimming, walking and biking
• Practice yoga or tai chi to boost balance and posture and improve your sleep quality

Safer exercise with knee osteoarthritis

When exercising with knee osteoarthritis, these safety tips will help protect your joints. First, start slowly and pay close attention to your body. Make sure trainers or fitness instructors know that you have arthritis before you train with them. And stop exercising and rest if any movement causes pain.

When getting ready to try these osteoarthritis knee exercises, prepare your body with heat. After exercise, ice your joints for up to 20 minutes. And always avoid high-impact workouts, opting for low impact movement instead.

Relieve knee osteoarthritis without surgery

While some patients manage their pain with osteoarthritis knee exercises and other lifestyle measures, those who still experience arthritis pain can find relief without surgery. How? Explore the option of Genicular Artery Embolization (GAE) in Georgia.

This is a minimally invasive procedure that relieves pain and inflammation while helping defer or avoid knee replacement surgery. Performed by our interventional radiologist in Georgia, some patients can even delay disease progression by undergoing. Ready to see if you're a candidate for this procedure? Click here to request an appointment!

Looking for the best way to treat arthritis in the knee? Today, there are many treatment options that relieve osteoarthritis-related knee pain. But for those who want to choose a non-surgical treatment option, genicular artery embolization or GAE can provide relief with shorter recovery periods and without hospital stays. Want to see if you're a candidate for this procedure? Keep reading to find out.

What is the Best Way to Treat Arthritis in Knee?

Because knee osteoarthritis is both progressive and degenerative, your condition and symptoms will get worse unless you seek treatment. For some patients, that could be as simple as reaching and staying at an optimal weight, while getting plenty of exercise. But even with these lifestyle changes, many patients will still experience painful arthritis symptoms.

Now, in the past, many of those patients would choose to find relief with knee replacement surgery. But today, there's a less invasive option: GAE, an alternative to that knee replacement that offers the best way to treat arthritis in knee while avoiding surgery.

What is Genicular Artery Embolization?

This procedure offers a surgical alternative for relieving knee osteoarthritis. During the procedure, we insert a small catheter into the femoral artery, guided via X-ray imaging from a tiny entry point made in the groin area. Once in place, we use the catheter to deposit tiny embolic material to the arteries to limit blood flow and reduce inflammation and pain in your knee. While not everyone is a GAE candidate, many believe that this is the best way to treat arthritis in knee without surgery. Want to see if GAE can relieve your knee osteoarthritis pain? Click here to request an appointment

If you have osteoarthritis of the knee and you want to find relief, there are knee replacement alternatives. And, due to medical advancements, many relieve pain without surgery. Today, we'll explore several options gaining popularity in 2024.

Genicular artery embolization (GAE): Proven knee replacement alternatives

GAE is a non-surgical knee replacement alternative that our Interventional Radiologists perform at the Georgie Knee Institute. The procedure relieves arthritis pain and inflammation by restricting blood flow to the affected knee joint lining. Backed by science, this 2020 study shows that GAE can effective relieve or reduce moderate to severe osteoarthritis knee pain. And it may prevent disease progression and limits on mobility.

Injections for Arthritis Knee Pain

Some patients prefer injectible knee replacement alternatives. One option involves injecting hyaluronic acid to the inflamed joint, providing lubrication and shock absorption to reduce pain. However, the Arthritis Foundation does not endorse this treatment due to limited research.

The same is true for dextrose solution injections, which are supposed to fight osteoarthritis knee pain. through the power of regenerative medicine. In theory, this injection sends reparitive blood flow to the knee, reducing pain and stiffness. But, again, it is not Arthritis Foundation endorsed.

Now, patients with mild to moderate arthritis knee pain may reduce pain and boost mobility with Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) injections. With results that last up to one year, this injection stimulates your body's own healing ability. However, more research is needed to confirm its efficacy for knee pain due to arthritis.

Knee replacement alternatives backed by research

We know you want to relieve your knee pain without having surgery. But we also know that you want knee replacement alternatives that have been well researched. And that's exactly what we provide! Click here to request an appointment at the Georgia Knee Institute and discover if you're a candidate for GAE!

Many older athletes are finding it harder to stay active because of pickleball knee pain. Now, this game is much gentler on the joints than other racket sports. However, when athletes have osteoarthritis in the knees, staying in the game can be very painful. Thankfully, GAE, or genicular artery embolization, can get you back into action.

Understanding Pickleball Knee Pain

Many pickleball players get hurt due to age-related risks. And that makes sense because Paddletek reveals that more than 50% of the 36.5 million US pickleball players are over the age of 55. And an additional 30% of players are over the age of 65.

Of course, some of the aches and pains associated with the sport are due to knee injuries such as muscle tears or ligament strains. (And the risk for those injuries increases if age has already put mobility limits on your joints.) Now, some of these injuries can be avoided with proper form, lots of stretching, and supportive athletic gear. But when pickleball knee pain is caused by osteoarthritis, many players can find from an alternative knee replacement procedure called GAE.

This procedure was a game-saver for 80-year-old Patrick Shruben, who recently discussed undergoing GAE in 2021 with UCLA Health. The older athlete needed to relieve his pickleball knee pain, but “did not want to sit in pain for months after surgery.” After researching his relief options, Shruben chose GAE, saying, "My treatment was pretty amazing. I walked without knee pain the next day.”

Even better? His GAE procedure was very effective, as Shruben is still feeling great more than two years later. Even now, he brags, “Here I am at 80, and I’m doing things my own children can’t do.”

Choosing GAE at the Georgia Knee Institute

Ready to say goodbye to pickleball knee pain? Do you want osteoarthritis knee pain relief without surgery? Click here to request an appointment. When you come into the office, we'll determine if you're a good candidate for GAE and come up with your customized treatment plan.