- A non-surgical, minimally invasive treatment provides effective pain relief, both immediately and in the long term.
- Patients usually go home the same day after a short post-operative observation after undergoing genicular artery embolization or GAE.
- By reducing inflammation, researchers found they could alleviate or even eliminate the pain associated with arthritis.
Arthritis is one of the leading causes of joint pain in people all over the world. Nevertheless, there may be a promising nonsurgical procedure that could relieve pain for at least 12 months.
Researchers at UCLA Health have studied a nonsurgical and minimally invasive arthritis treatment option that provides effective pain relief both immediately and in the long term.
Through a technique called genicular artery embolization or GAE, doctors can relieve arthritis pain in the knees within hours of the procedure.
Arthritis is pain and swelling in the joints of the body after cartilage is damaged from overuse. It causes stiffness, immobility and discomfort, which usually get worse with age.
When cartilage wears out, it releases inflammatory enzymes that cause joint pain.
And with over 100 types of arthritis, it is one of the most common ailments in humans.
Genicular artery embolisation is an outpatient procedure designed to limit inflammatory enzymes. GAE takes about 1 to 2 hours to complete and patients usually go home the same day after a short post-operative observation.
During this procedure, a small catheter is guided from the groin to the blood vessels of the knee. Small particles are then injected to block some of the blood flow, causing knee embolization.
By doing this, the inflammatory markers associated with arthritis are reduced. By minimizing inflammation, researchers can reduce or even eliminate the pain associated with this condition.
The Arthritis Foundation indicates that while at least 54 million Americans have been diagnosed with arthritis by a doctor, the number is likely underestimated. Experts believe that more than 91 million adults have arthritis. While there is no cure, there are measures to prevent and relieve the pain.
“Non-surgical or minimally invasive procedures such as genicular artery embolization can limit pain and improve movement, so this may be a good option for patients who are simply too risky to perform surgery,” said Dr. Manny Sethi, Assistant Professor, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville.
The technique is not new and is the largest Food and Drug Administration-approved study in the United States to evaluate this embolization technique for treating arthritis in the knee. It included 40 people who were not candidates for total knee replacement and who did not benefit from traditional therapies such as NSAID medications, physical therapy, and joint injections.
The researchers found that the mean pain score before the procedure was 8 out of 10. One week after the procedure, this was an average of 3 in 10. About 70 percent of the patients reported more than 50 percent reduction in pain one year after the procedure.
Not everyone is a good candidate for this procedure. UCLA Health says the ideal patients are people in their 40s and 80s, have moderate to severe local knee pain, and do not benefit from other therapies.
Sethi told Healthline that while this is a great option for older people who cannot tolerate surgery, more research may be needed to verify these findings.
“We absolutely need larger and randomized controlled trials to help us understand the true impact of embolization. However, this appears to be a relatively safe and non-invasive option for non-surgical patients looking for additional options, ”said Sethi.
While arthritis is a condition that many people experience, it can be prevented even before surgery or procedures are needed.
“The biggest thing we’re not talking about is basis weight loss,” Sethi told Healthline. “Taking 5 to 10 pounds off your body is like taking 50 pounds off your joints – it’s something that can give your joints great relief.”
He also encouraged muscle strengthening, stretching, being active, walking more, and not smoking as other preventative measures that can slow arthritis.