Living with chronic knee pain is exhausting. It can change how you move, how you plan your day, and even how hopeful you feel about getting better. If you have osteoarthritis, you may already know the usual treatment path: physical therapy, anti-inflammatory medicine, steroid or gel injections, and sometimes surgery. Genicular Artery Embolization, or GAE, is a newer option that works differently. Instead of treating pain at the surface, it targets one of the main drivers of osteoarthritis pain inside the knee: ongoing inflammation.
Osteoarthritis is not just “wear and tear.” In many people, the lining of the knee joint stays irritated and inflamed over time. When that happens, the body tries to help by sending more blood to the area through small vessels called genicular arteries. The issue is that this extra blood flow can keep the inflammation active. It brings more inflammatory cells and chemicals into the joint, which irritate nearby nerves. The result is the steady ache, stiffness, and flare-ups that make daily movement hard.
A simple way to picture it is like a small fire that is constantly being fanned. The extra blood vessels are the fuel source. As long as the fuel keeps coming, the fire keeps burning.
Genicular Artery Embolization works by turning down that fuel source. An interventional radiologist uses imaging to find which tiny genicular branches are feeding the inflamed tissue. Then they carefully reduce blood flow only in those overactive areas. Healthy circulation to the knee is preserved. The goal is not to “shut off” the knee. The goal is to calm the inflamed lining so it stops sending constant pain signals.
First, the doctor maps your knee’s blood supply. A very small catheter is placed into an artery, usually through the wrist or groin, using local numbing medicine. With live imaging, the catheter is guided to the arteries around the knee. A special contrast dye shows the blood vessels clearly and highlights the ones that look abnormally “busy” because they are feeding inflamed tissue.
Next comes embolization. Through the catheter, the doctor releases tiny, biocompatible particles. These particles travel into the targeted micro-vessels and lodge there, gently blocking them. They are about the size of a grain of sand, designed to stop flow in only the smallest abnormal branches.
Once those vessels are blocked, the inflamed tissue gets less blood, which means fewer inflammatory chemicals arrive. Over time, the inflammation settles down. As swelling and irritation fade, nerves aren’t being constantly triggered, so pain drops.
GAE is effective for the same reason many arthritis treatments fall short: it goes after the process that keeps pain going. Traditional injections and medications often reduce inflammation temporarily, but they do not change the abnormal blood flow that continues fueling it. GAE addresses that vascular “loop” directly. That’s why many patients notice improvement not just for a few weeks, but for months or longer.
It’s also a minimally invasive outpatient procedure. There are no large incisions and no general anesthesia. Most people go home the same day and return to normal routines quickly. Relief tends to build gradually as the knee calms, often becoming clearer over the first few weeks.
Genicular Artery Embolization is not a cure for osteoarthritis, and it does not rebuild cartilage. What it can do is reduce the inflammation that makes osteoarthritis hurt by cutting off the extra blood flow that feeds it. For the right patient, that shift can mean walking farther, moving more comfortably, and getting life back from constant knee pain. Request an appointment today!
Genicular Artery Embolization reduces knee pain by blocking tiny overactive blood vessels that feed inflamed tissue in osteoarthritis. With less blood flow, inflammation settles, nerves calm down, and pain often improves.
In GAE, only the small abnormal vessels linked to inflammation are targeted. The procedure is designed to preserve normal blood flow to healthy knee structures, which is why it can be done safely by trained specialists.
Some patients notice improvement within days, but most feel steady progress over several weeks. Relief builds as the inflamed joint lining quiets down.
No. GAE is mainly used for knee pain driven by osteoarthritis inflammation. Pain caused by certain injuries or mechanical problems may not respond the same way, so imaging and consultation are important.
It can delay surgery for some people by reducing pain and improving function. But it does not reverse arthritis, so some patients may still need a replacement later depending on disease severity.
