Exciting News For People Trying To Avoid Knee Replacement!
I always hoped my mom would live long enough to see a treatment for her knee pain short of a knee replacement.
Maybe that day has come.
Genicular artery embolization (GAE) is a minimally invasive procedure that treats knee pain and inflammation caused by osteoarthritis.
A German study found that in patients with moderate to severe knee osteoarthritis who hadn't responded to conservative treatments, quality-of-life and pain scores improved by 87% and 71% at 1-year follow-up after receiving GAE.
Average pain scores decreased from eight out of ten before GAE to three out of ten within the first week with only minor side effects of temporary skin discoloration and mild knee pain!
How does it work?
GAE blocks the blood flow to the lining of the knee (synovium) that's inflamed. This reduces the inflammation associated with osteoarthritis, which can help--or eliminate--the knee pain.
During the procedure, an interventional radiologist:
Inserts a catheter into the patient's upper thigh
Guides the catheter to the arteries that supply blood to the knee
Injects microscopic beads into the arteries to block abnormal blood vessels and reduce blood flow to the knee
GAE is an outpatient procedure that takes about 1–2 hours and is performed under moderate sedation. It's considered a good treatment option for patients who:
Have moderate or severe localized knee pain
Have tried other treatments, like pain medication or steroid injections, but didn't see much improvement
Aren't eligible for or don't want a knee replacement
The advantages of GAE
Research suggests that GAE can lead to significant pain improvement that lasts for at least two years and can be repeated if needed.
The procedure can be performed quickly, with minimal recovery time (compared to knee replacement surgery!) and can help patients reduce the amount of pain medication they need.
One thing to be aware of....
This procedure isn't always covered by insurers.
You'd think they'd jump on a procedure that's so much less expensive than a knee replacement....
Some insurance companies consider this procedure to be "experimental" but as more studies report its efficacy, the insurance companies are likely to come around.
Who knows, this could buy people some time until something better than knee replacement comes along!