December 9, 2024
Knee pain, including osteoarthritis knee pain, can impact your life in many ways - you may find it difficult to exercise, climb stairs, bend or sit down, or even just walk. Even if you’ve tried common knee pain treatments, like over-the-counter pain medication, therapy, corticosteroid injections, hyaluronic acid injections or even surgery, you may still be looking for other options to help you live life to the fullest.
Over the past decade, genicular artery embolisation (or GAE) has become a popular treatment option for those looking for an alternative to a knee replacement, and is favoured for being minimally invasive with a high success rate. It involves using a catheter and x-ray imaging to inject tiny particles into the treatment area to limit blood supply, reducing inflammation and helping with pain - but it's more than just a pain reliever.
3 Ways Genicular Artery Embolisation Improves Knee Osteoarthritis
Reduced Knee Pain
As osteoarthritis in the knee starts to wear down your cartilage, the three bones in your knee joint begin to rub against each other, causing pain. Genicular artery embolisation can help with knee pain management by reducing the blood flow to the lining of the knee (synovium), in turn helping to ease inflammation and pain.
The level of pain relief depends on the progression of your osteoarthritis and other personal factors. So, it’s best to book in for a consultation with an interventional radiologist to discuss your personal circumstances and how GAE can specifically help you with knee pain management.
Improved Mobility
Inflammation caused by cartilage reduction from osteoarthritis can also increase joint stiffness and issues with knee mobility. By easing inflammation, GAE can help reduce stiffness, increasing range of motion and comfort during everyday activities.
Increasing knee mobility can also help with other areas of knee pain treatment, such as therapy. When the knee is painful or stiff, people can become hesitant on trying or progressing with physical therapies, such as physiotherapy, which can also help with osteoarthritis when combined with treatments like GAE.
Recommended reading: 6 Exercises to Strengthen Your Knees and Alleviate Osteoarthritis Pain
Osteoarthritis Treatment Without Surgery
Surgery, like knee replacement, is often the last resort for many people. With knee replacement surgery, you may be unable to walk or resume basic normal activities for three to six weeks, will require ongoing physical therapy and full recovery can take up to a year.
Genicular artery embolisation is a minimally invasive procedure, without the need for surgery. You’re treated with a numbing agent around the groin to allow a small incision to be made for catheter access, with sedation an option for patients who need additional help to relax during the procedure. After your treatment, you’ll be taken to a recovery area, and can generally go home after a couple of hours with good health.
Recommended reading: A Step-by-Step Guide to Genicular Artery Embolisation for Knee Pain
Why GAE is an Innovative Treatment for Knee Pain
While genicular artery embolisation isn’t the only knee pain treatments available, it offers the potential for long-term results, with a high success rate, low downtime and no surgery. While steroid injections for knee pain are one alternative option to surgery, studies have shown a lack of significant pain relief, only short-term results requiring re-injection every three to four months and 7% of 8% of patients experiencing increased pain.
Conversely, genicular artery embolisation has been shown to:
- Have a 99.7% success rate.
- Reduce pain up to 12 to 24 months.
- Minor and minimal adverse side effects.
- Benefits potentially seen within the first 3 days of treatment.
- Reduced chance of needing a knee replacement in the next 2 years.
Take the First Step Towards Relief and a Better Quality of Life
If you’re experiencing knee pain or suspect you might have osteoarthritis, early intervention is key to managing symptoms and slowing the progression of the disease. At Northern Beaches Interventional Radiology, our expert team offers advanced, minimally invasive treatments tailored to your needs, including genicular artery embolisation to help reduce osteoarthritis pain.
Book a consultation with us today to discuss your symptoms and explore the best treatment options for you.
