Genicular artery embolization effective at reducing pain and inflammation in patients with a new non-surgical outpatient procedure for knee osteoarthritis instead of knee replacement surgery
Merrillville, IN — NG Vascular announces the availability of a new non-surgical outpatient procedure for knee osteoarthritis. Genicular artery embolization is an FDA-approved and clinically proven treatment for reducing pain and inflammation for those who do not want total knee replacement surgery.
New research has come to light about how osteoarthritis forms. It is now known that significant vascular changes occur within the synovium, the thick band of tissues that surround and lubricate the knee joint, before cartilage degeneration occurs. These changes cause inflammation that lead to cartilage erosion, not the other way around.
According to Oxford Academic, “There is mounting evidence that vascular pathology plays a role in the initiation and/or progression of the major disease of joints: osteoarthritis (OA).”1
Nazar Golewale, M.D., an interventional radiologist with NG Vascular, says, “The pain patients experience with osteoarthritis is the direct result of abnormal blood vessels that supply the synovium and cause ongoing inflammation.”
Dr. Golewale performs a non-surgical outpatient procedure for knee osteoarthritis called genicular artery embolization (GAE) at his two clinics in Northern Indiana and near Chicago. He says that average pain scores decrease from 8 out of 10 before GAE to 3 a week after the procedure.
“It’s a very simple, elegant solution,” Dr. Golewale adds. “Using imaging to precisely guide a catheter to the abnormal blood vessels within the knee. Tiny micro-particles are injected that travel into smaller vessels and become lodged. This reduces blood flow to normal levels, in turn reducing inflammation and the associated symptoms.”
Dr. Golewale says the patient can return home within two hours of the procedure and may start feeling the benefits almost immediately.
“While total knee replacement is the gold standard treatment, there has long been a need for an alternative procedure for those in pain but who are not surgical candidates,” he adds. “Furthermore, two-thirds of those eligible for knee surgery simply refuse to have it. GAE is an excellent alternative and does not prohibit the patient from having surgery in the future. In many cases, they may never need surgery after GAE.”
GAE is recommended for those 40-80 years of age with moderate to severe knee pain, and have been diagnosed with osteoarthritis. For more information, or to schedule a consultation with Dr. Golewale, please call (219) 208-6218 or (708) 888-1167.
NG Vascular
NG Vascular & Vein Center offers minimally invasive treatments for peripheral artery disease (PAD), varicose veins, knee osteoarthritis, uterine fibroids and other painful or life-threatening conditions. With offices in the greater Chicago area, NG Vascular’s treatments are outpatient based, offering convenience, faster recovery and minimal discomfort. For more information, visit www.ngvascular.com.
- D.M. Findlay Vascular pathology and osteoarthritis Rheumatology, Volume 46, Issue 12, December 2007, Pages 1763-1768.
