CHICAGO, Dec. 3, 2024 — A new minimally invasive procedure offers substantial pain relief for knee osteoarthritis and may help avoid knee replacement surgery, according to research presented at the Radiological Society of North America meeting.

Lead study author Dr. Florian Nima Fleckenstein, an interventional radiologist at Charité – University Hospital Berlin in Germany, highlights the procedure’s importance in addressing osteoarthritis, a major global health concern causing widespread chronic pain and disability. Given the millions affected, especially in aging populations, the need for effective, minimally invasive treatments is paramount.

Osteoarthritis, a chronic, degenerative joint disease, is the leading cause of chronic joint disorders. The World Health Organization reports that over 365 million adults worldwide have knee osteoarthritis.

Existing treatments, such as pain relievers and steroid injections, primarily manage symptoms without halting disease progression. As osteoarthritis worsens, many patients require joint replacement surgery.

Genicular artery embolization (GAE) is a novel minimally invasive approach for symptomatic knee osteoarthritis. The genicular arteries, a network of vessels around the knee joint, are altered in osteoarthritis. GAE involves injecting small particles into specific branches of these arteries to restrict blood flow to the affected area. This helps disrupt the inflammation, cartilage damage, and nerve growth characteristic of osteoarthritis.

Dr. Fleckenstein and colleagues retrospectively analyzed 403 patients (ages 40-90) with moderate to severe knee osteoarthritis unresponsive to conservative therapies. All underwent GAE at Charité – University Hospital Berlin. The study evaluated GAE’s safety and effectiveness across various osteoarthritis severities, using the Visual Analog Scale and the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (measuring pain and quality of life) at baseline and at six weeks, three months, six months, and one year post-procedure.

GAE was technically successful in all cases. Minor side effects, such as temporary skin discoloration and mild knee pain, were observed in 18% of patients. No serious complications occurred. Quality-of-life and pain scores improved by 87% and 71%, respectively, at the one-year mark.

The results demonstrate GAE’s safety and efficacy across all osteoarthritis severity levels, including advanced cases where other treatments are less effective.

Dr. Fleckenstein emphasizes that GAE effectively reduces knee pain and improves quality of life, with lasting benefits, especially for patients who haven’t responded to other treatments. This potentially offers significant improvement for those with debilitating pain and mobility issues.

However, the study suggests GAE is particularly effective in early-stage knee osteoarthritis, indicating that early intervention could delay or prevent disease progression and reduce the need for more invasive procedures.

The researchers hope their findings, based on a large and diverse patient group, will influence clinical practice and policy, leading to wider adoption of GAE globally.

Dr. Fleckenstein notes that GAE may lessen the need for major surgeries, reduce healthcare costs, and enhance quality of life for many with knee osteoarthritis.

He and his team intend to continue their research into degenerative joint disorders, aiming to provide patients with additional interventional radiology options.

Co-authors include Dr. Timo Alexander Auer, Dr. Bernd Hamm, Dr. Bernhard Gebauer, and Dr. Federico Collettini. This study received the RSNA Trainee Research Prize.

Note: Copies of RSNA 2024 news releases and electronic images will be available online at .

RSNA is an organization of radiologists, radiation oncologists, medical physicists, and related scientists dedicated to advancing patient care and healthcare through education, research, and technological innovation. The Society is based in Oak Brook, Illinois. ()

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SOURCE Radiological Society of North America (RSNA)

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