- A non-surgical, minimally invasive treatment effectively ensures pain relief both immediately and in the long term.
- Patients usually go home the same day after a brief postoperative observation after undergoing genital artery embolization or GAE.
- By reducing inflammation, researchers have found that it could relieve or even eliminate the pain associated with arthritis.
Arthritis is one of the leading causes of joint pain for people around the world. However, there may be a promising non-surgical procedure that could relieve the pain for at least 12 months.
Researchers at UCLA Health have studied a non-surgical and minimally invasive treatment option for arthritis that effectively provides pain relief both immediately and in the long term.
Through a technique called genital artery embolization or GAE, doctors can relieve the pain of knee arthritis within hours of the procedure.
Arthritis is pain and swelling in the joints of the body after the cartilage is damaged due to excessive use. It causes stiffness, immobility and discomfort, which usually worsens with age.
When the cartilage wears out, inflammatory enzymes are released, causing joint pain.
And with more than 100 types of arthritis, it is one of the most common conditions that affect people.
Genicular artery embolization is an outpatient procedure designed to limit inflammatory enzymes. GAE lasts about 1 to 2 hours until completion, and patients usually go home the same day after a brief postoperative observation.
During this procedure, a small catheter is directed from the groin area to the blood vessels in the knee. The small particles are then injected to block some of the blood flow, causing the knee to embolize.
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 although at least 54 million Americans have been diagnosed with arthritis by a doctor, the number is likely to be underestimated. Experts believe that more than 91 million adults have arthritis. Although there is no cure, there are measures to prevent and relieve pain.
“Non-operative or minimally invasive procedures, such as genital artery embolization, can limit pain and improve movement, so it may be a good option for patients who are too risky to have 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 study approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to evaluate this embolization technique to treat knee arthritis. It included 40 people who were not candidates for total knee replacement and did not benefit from traditional therapies, such as NSAIDs, physical therapy and joint injections.
The researchers found that the average pain score was 8 out of 10 before the procedure. One week after the procedure, it was an average of 3 out of 10. About 70% of patients reported a reduction in pain of more than 50% at one year after the procedure.
Not everyone is a good candidate for this procedure. UCLA Health says the ideal patients are people between the ages of 40 and 80, have moderate to severe localized knee pain and have not received other therapies.
Sethi told Healthline that while this is an excellent option for seniors who cannot tolerate surgery, more research may be needed to verify these findings.
“We certainly need larger, randomized controlled trials to help us understand the true impact of embolization. However, this seems 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 basic weight loss,” Sethi told Healthline. “If you take 5 to 10 kilograms from the body, it’s like taking 50 kilograms from the joints – it’s something that can give the joints a major relief.”
He also encouraged muscle strengthening, stretching, activity, walking more and not smoking as other preventative measures that can slow arthritis.