Innovative minimally invasive technique revolutionizes the treatment of knee osteoarthritis
The people to whom the procedure was applied experienced improvements in daily and recreational activities, with a notable increase in quality of life.
A new minimally invasive procedure is presented as a promising alternative for patients with knee osteoarthritis resistant to traditional treatments. Genicular artery embolization (GAE) blocks abnormal blood vessels around the joint, reducing inflammation and pain.
A study in Berlin included 194 patients with a significant improvement in pain and quality of life after treatment with EAG. Pain intensity was reduced from 7 to 3 on the Numerical Rating Scale, and 80% of patients reported clinically significant improvement.
Participants experienced improvements in daily and recreational activities, with a notable increase in quality of life scores. These evaluations reflect the effectiveness of the treatment in multiple aspects of the patient's life.
Regarding the procedure, Dr. Florian Nima Fleckenstein, deputy director of the Mitte Campus of Interventional Radiology of the Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, in words reported by the Infobae portal, explained that there is a gap in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis. “Conservative measures, such as intra-articular injections, no longer provide sufficient relief, but joint replacement is not an option for medical or personal reasons,” he said.
Safety of the procedure
The study, published in the journal Radiology of the Radiological Society of North America, recorded a low complication rate, with 6.7% mild reactions. The gelatin microspheres used are resorbable, which minimizes long-term risks. The intervention was completely successful in all cases.
Experts see CEA as a viable option for those who do not respond to conventional treatments, although the study was conducted at a single center. It is hoped that these results will contribute to the consideration of this technique in general clinical practice.
What you are looking to achieve and why it works:
Candidates for genicular artery embolization
Genicular artery embolization is indicated mainly in patients with chronic knee pain due to osteoarthritis or local inflammatory processes that do not respond to conservative treatment and who wish to avoid or postpone surgery; Ideal candidates often share several clinical and imaging characteristics.
Contraindications and factors that reduce the likelihood of benefit:
Knee osteoarthritis in the USA
In the United States, a widely cited figure is that almost 1 in 2 adults could develop knee osteoarthritis during their lifetime, about 45%. Additionally, arthritis in general affects nearly 59 million people in the country.
The 45% figure usually refers to the lifetime risk of suffering from it, not to the proportion of people who have it at the same time. The point prevalence may be lower and depends on age, body weight, and other risk factors.
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