Genicular Artery Embolization (GAE)
GAE is a minimally invasive, image-guided procedure that treats chronic knee pain from osteoarthritis by reducing blood flow to inflamed tissue inside the joint. For patients who’ve tried physical therapy, injections, or medications without lasting relief - and who aren’t ready for knee replacement - GAE offers a same-day outpatient alternative.
What is Genicular Artery Embolization?
Genicular Artery Embolization (GAE) is a minimally invasive procedure that treats chronic knee pain from osteoarthritis. It targets the small blood vessels - the genicular arteries - that supply the lining of the knee joint. In osteoarthritis, these vessels grow abnormally and feed a cycle of inflammation, swelling, and pain.
Using a tiny catheter guided by live X-ray imaging, an interventional physician navigates from a small puncture in the groin or wrist to the arteries around the knee, then releases microscopic particles that block only the abnormal vessels. Healthy blood flow to the leg is preserved.
By reducing that abnormal blood flow, GAE calms the inflammation driving the pain. Most patients report meaningful, durable pain relief within a few weeks of the procedure - often lasting a year or more - while avoiding the recovery time, hospital stay, and hardware of a knee replacement.
How MVM performs GAE.
Patients and referring physicians choose MVM for GAE because we bring the same catheter-based, image-guided expertise we use every day for cardiac and vascular intervention to a procedure specifically designed for chronic knee pain.
- Consultation and imaging review. We review your knee imaging (X-ray or MRI), pain history, and prior treatments to determine whether GAE is a good fit.
- Same-day outpatient procedure. GAE is performed in our procedural suite - you arrive in the morning and go home the same day.
- Radial or femoral access. Tiny puncture at the wrist or groin, guided by live X-ray. No incisions, no stitches, no hardware left behind.
- Precise embolization. Microscopic particles delivered through the catheter block only the abnormal arteries feeding the inflammation - healthy blood flow to the leg is preserved.
- Local anesthesia and light sedation. No general anesthesia. You’re comfortable throughout and awake enough to give feedback during the procedure.
- Follow-up built in. We check in with you at two weeks and again at three months to track pain relief and knee function.
Schedule a GAE consultation.
Most patients are seen within a week. Bring your knee imaging (X-ray or MRI), a list of prior treatments (PT, injections, medications), and a note about how long the pain has been present.
Schedule a consultationSend us a GAE referral.
Same-week consults for patients with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis who’ve failed conservative therapy and want to delay or avoid arthroplasty. Closed-loop reporting back to your office within 48 hours.
Referral processWho is a candidate for GAE?
GAE is designed for patients with knee osteoarthritis who’ve tried conservative treatment without lasting relief. It is not a first-line therapy - it’s a bridge for patients who need more than injections but aren’t ready for surgery.
- Chronic knee pain from osteoarthritis lasting more than six months
- Mild to moderate osteoarthritis confirmed on imaging (Kellgren–Lawrence grade 1–3)
- Inadequate relief from physical therapy, oral medications, and steroid or hyaluronic acid injections
- Not ready for knee replacement - either because it’s too early, you want to delay surgery, or you aren’t a surgical candidate
- Persistent inflammation and swelling despite conservative therapy
- Pain interfering with sleep, walking, or daily activity
The procedure and recovery.
GAE is a same-day outpatient procedure. You arrive in the morning and go home a few hours after it’s finished. Recovery is quick because there’s no cutting, no joint replacement, and no hospital stay.
Before the procedure
You’ll come in for a consultation to review your imaging, treatment history, and goals. If GAE is a good fit, we’ll walk you through what happens on the day and what to bring. You’ll be given instructions on eating, medications, and transportation home.
During the procedure
You’ll be positioned comfortably and given local anesthesia at the access site - either the wrist (radial artery) or the groin (femoral artery). Light IV sedation keeps you relaxed. Using live X-ray guidance, a tiny catheter is threaded to the arteries around the knee. Contrast dye lights up the abnormal vessels, and microscopic particles are released to block them. The procedure takes about 60–90 minutes.
After the procedure
You’ll rest in our recovery area for a few hours while we monitor the access site. Most patients walk out the same day. You may feel mild soreness in the knee for a few days as inflammation settles down - that’s expected. Pain relief typically begins within the first two to four weeks and continues to improve for several months.
Follow-up
We see you at two weeks to check the access site and review symptoms, then again at three months to measure pain and function against your baseline. Most patients experience meaningful pain reduction that lasts a year or longer.
GAE compared with other treatments.
- Not surgery. No incisions, no hospital stay, no hardware, no joint replaced.
- Same-day procedure. Arrive in the morning, go home the same afternoon.
- Quick recovery. Most patients return to normal activity within one to two days.
- Preserves future options. Doesn’t rule out knee replacement later if it’s needed.
- Repeatable. Can be performed again if pain returns years later.
- Alternative to opioids. Reduces reliance on long-term pain medication.
- Well-tolerated in older adults. No general anesthesia; suitable for patients who aren’t surgical candidates.
GAE isn’t a replacement for surgery when a knee is severely damaged - it’s a middle-step option for patients who’ve outgrown injections but aren’t ready for arthroplasty. We’ll help you understand where you sit on that continuum at the first consultation.
What are the risks?
GAE has an established safety profile. Most side effects are mild and short-lived. Serious complications are rare when the procedure is performed by an experienced interventional team.
- Mild knee soreness or swelling for a few days after the procedure - the most common side effect, resolves on its own
- Bruising or soreness at the access site (wrist or groin)
- Temporary skin discoloration around the knee - uncommon, usually fades over weeks
- Mild numbness in a small area of the leg - rare, typically temporary
- Reaction to contrast dye - screened for and managed at the first visit
- Access-site complications such as bleeding or hematoma - uncommon, monitored during recovery
We discuss all risks in detail at the consultation and screen carefully for anything that would make you a poor candidate.
When to consider GAE.
- You’ve had knee pain from osteoarthritis for more than six months
- Physical therapy, oral medications, or injections aren’t giving you lasting relief
- You’re losing sleep, mobility, or independence because of the pain
- You want to delay or avoid knee replacement - either you’re not ready, or you’re not a surgical candidate
- You want to reduce reliance on pain medication
If you’ve been told your only remaining option is knee replacement and you’d like a second opinion on a less invasive alternative, we’re happy to review your case. Bring your imaging and treatment history to the first visit.
GAE FAQs.
How long does GAE last?
Most patients experience meaningful pain relief within two to four weeks, with continued improvement over three to six months. Studies show pain relief typically lasts at least a year, and in many patients longer. If pain returns years later, GAE can be repeated.
Is GAE a replacement for knee replacement surgery?
No. GAE is not designed to replace arthroplasty in patients with severe joint damage. It’s a middle-step option for patients with mild to moderate osteoarthritis who need more than conservative therapy but aren’t ready for - or aren’t candidates for - joint replacement. It also doesn’t prevent you from having knee replacement later if the joint continues to degrade.
Is GAE covered by insurance?
Coverage varies by insurance carrier and specific plan. GAE is FDA-approved and increasingly covered as evidence grows, but many plans still evaluate it case-by-case. We work with you and your insurance to document medical necessity and pursue authorization at the first visit.
How is GAE different from a cortisone or hyaluronic acid injection?
Injections deliver medication directly into the joint and offer relief that typically lasts weeks to a few months. GAE addresses the underlying blood-flow problem driving inflammation, which is why the relief is more durable - usually a year or more per treatment.
How soon can I return to normal activity?
Most patients return to walking and daily activity within one to two days. Light exercise resumes within a week. Because there’s no surgical incision, there’s no lengthy rehab - the recovery is primarily about letting the inflammation settle.
Does it hurt?
The procedure itself is not painful. You’ll receive local anesthesia at the access site and light IV sedation. Some patients feel mild pressure when the catheter is positioned. Afterward, you may feel dull soreness in the knee for a few days as the treated arteries settle down.
Schedule a GAE consultation.
Most new patients are seen within a week. Bring your knee imaging, a list of prior treatments, and a note about how long the pain has been present - we’ll do the rest.