Treating the Dallas and Fort Worth Areas
Osteoarthritis Treatment
Precision Vascular is your premier center for vein and artery disease treatment. With multiple convenient locations, our expert doctors and medical staff members offer cutting-edge vein, artery, and vascular treatments to residents of Dallas, Fort Worth, Denison-Sherman, and the neighboring communities in Northeast Texas. We are proud to offer our patients information about and treatments for leg pain.
How Do We Treat Osteoarthritis?
Genicular artery embolization (GAE), or embolization of the knee, is a minimally invasive procedure for osteoarthritis treatment. It can reduce knee pain for patients with osteoarthritis (OA), by reducing the blood flow to the lining of the knee, known as the synovium. By blocking these arteries, there is a reduction in the amount of inflammation associated with osteoarthritis, a process that can help or eliminate the associated knee pain. It is performed by a vascular surgeon or interventional radiologist who is specially trained to use X-rays and other imaging modalities to see in the body and treat diseases without surgery, and has specific expertise pertaining to the vascular system and blood vessels of the body.
WHO ARE GOOD CANDIDATES FOR THE GAE PROCEDURE?
Patients with chronic knee pain who have not received relief through conventional therapies may be good candidates for /a minimally invasive endovascular treatment called geniculate artery embolization (GAE).
The following conditions make for a good candidate for GAE:
AGE:
Between 40-80
years old.
PAIN LEVEL:
Moderate to severe knee pain.
CONDITION:
Osteoarthritis based on x-ray, but without bony deformity/ sclerosis.
SYMPTOMS:
Local knee tenderness.
TREATMENT:
Knee pain resistant/failed conservative treatment.
The following conditions may disqualify a patient as a candidate for GAE:
- Current or history of cigarette smoking
- Advanced arthritis based on x-ray
- Infection or malignancy
- Severe PAD
WHAT CAN I EXPECT DURING MY GAE PROCEDURE?
The GAE procedure is performed as an outpatient procedure in our Vascular Procedure Suite, meaning the patient will go home after the procedure. You will be given medication to make you feel comforatable and sometimes sleepy during the procedure. Your physician will insert a catheter into the artery of the upper thigh, with the use of x-rays, guide the catheter to the arteries supplying the lining of the knee. Tiny particles are then injected through the catheter into these arteries, reducing the blood supply. This reduces the inflammation associated with osteoarthritis, which alleviates the pain. Once the procedure is complete, the catheter will carefully be removed.
WHAT CAN I EXPECT AFTER MY GAE PROCEDURE?
Immediately following your GAE procedure, we will monitor the access site for bleeding for a short time. You may experience some mild bruising and tenderness at the access site. This is normal and side effects typically resolve on their own within a few days of treatment. Patients go home the same day. In most cases, relief begins to occur in two weeks, as the inflammation in the lining of the knee is reduced, relieving the knee pain associated with osteoarthritis. Your specialist will provide you with detailed post-operative care instructions prior to your GAE, so you can better know what to expect during your recovery.
HOW MUCH DOES A GAE PROCEDURE COST?
The cost of your GAE procedure will vary depending on your health insurance coverage. To get a better idea of how much your GAE will cost, we encourage you to come in for a private consultation with one of our specialists.
The expert doctors and highly-skilled team members at Precision Vascular are proud to offer surgical and non-surgical treatments for vein and artery diseases. We are proud to offer treatment to patients in Dallas, Fort Worth, Denison-Sherman, and the neighboring communities in Northeast Texas. Contact us to schedule your private consultation with one of our medical professionals today.