Geniculate (Genicular) Artery Embolization (GAE)
Knee Pain & Osteoarthritis Treatment in Kansas City & Independence, MO
Searching for a non-surgical knee pain treatment near me? GAE — also called genicular artery embolization or knee embolization — is a minimally invasive, outpatient alternative to knee replacement surgery for arthritis-related chronic knee pain, performed right here at MIVA Medical, serving Kansas City and all of Missouri.
A 10-page guide covering knee osteoarthritis symptoms, treatment comparisons, and what to expect — yours to keep.
What Is Osteoarthritis (OA) Related Chronic Knee Pain?
Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease causing gradual cartilage destruction and persistent knee pain. It’s the leading cause of chronic pain and disability in the elderly — about 37% of Americans over 60 suffer from OA-related chronic knee pain, and up to 50% are affected during their lifetime. Over 80% of all OA disease occurs at the knee.
Once thought of as simple “wear and tear,” OA is now understood to be far more complex: a continuous cycle of inflammation affecting the synovial lining, new blood vessel growth that recruits sensory nerves, and ongoing cartilage destruction. Those new vessels act as a highway for inflammatory cells, feeding the cycle. Geniculate artery embolization blocks that highway by selectively closing the small arteries involved, through a minimally invasive technique.
What Are the Treatment Options for OA-Related Chronic Knee Pain?
We’ll discuss your treatment alternatives based on your imaging and clinic consultation. Conservative measures include rest, ice, physical therapy, knee bracing, weight management, and analgesics. Surgery can be effective when conservative measures fail, but some patients have comorbidities that make them poor surgical candidates, or simply wish to avoid an invasive procedure.
Geniculate artery embolization is a minimally invasive procedure that selectively targets the source of knee pain by blocking the arteries contributing to inflammation and cartilage destruction. Read the GAE clinical article →
Total knee replacement is a major surgery — it removes and resurfaces the joint, requires general anesthesia, a hospital stay, and months of physical therapy, but can offer lasting relief for severe, end-stage osteoarthritis. GAE takes a very different approach: rather than replacing the joint, it targets the abnormal blood vessels feeding the inflammation that drives OA pain, performed through a small puncture with no incisions and a same-day discharge. For many patients with moderate osteoarthritis who aren’t ready for — or want to delay — a knee replacement, GAE offers a lower-risk, non-surgical alternative worth discussing with your care team.
Before & After a GAE Procedure
Before GAE Procedure
After GAE Procedure
How Is Geniculate Artery Embolization (GAE) Performed?
Before the procedure, the site of knee pain is marked on the skin. Using a minimally invasive technique, a small catheter is inserted into the artery at the groin or ankle. Using X-ray imaging and contrast dye, the geniculate arteries supplying the inflamed area of the knee are selected and embolized (blocked) with a solution of very tiny particles.
The goal is to reduce knee inflammation by blocking the small, inflamed artery branches while preserving overall blood flow and minimizing complications. GAE is performed as an outpatient procedure at MIVA Medical, with a quick recovery.
What Is an Arteriogram With Intervention, and How Does It Work?
“Arterio” means artery, and “gram” means picture. We access your arteries using a tiny needle and thread a wire through it to reach your arterial system. Using ultrasound and X-ray guidance, we map your arteries with an injected contrast dye, allowing us to see which vessels of the knee are affected and identify exactly where to target treatment. This procedure is performed under moderate sedation.
Who Is a Candidate for Genicular Artery Embolization?
GAE is not right for every patient with knee pain, and careful patient selection is the single biggest factor in whether it helps. Rather than offering the procedure broadly, we use defined criteria to decide who is likely to benefit — and we will tell you if you are not a good fit.
- At least 6 months of conservative management that hasn’t worked — physical therapy, weight management, anti-inflammatories, bracing, or injections
- Knee pain clearly attributable to osteoarthritis on imaging and examination
- A WOMAC score of 20 or greater (total index, out of 96) — a standardized measure of pain, stiffness and function
Knee osteoarthritis is graded 0 to 4 on the Kellgren-Lawrence scale, based on what your X-rays show. Where you fall on that scale changes how well GAE is likely to work.
| Grade | What the X-ray shows | Is GAE likely to help? |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | No arthritic changes | Not a candidate — the pain is coming from something else |
| 1 | Possible bone spurs, doubtful joint space narrowing | Selective — response varies |
| 2 | Definite bone spurs, possible joint space narrowing | Good candidate — favorable pain relief is typical |
| 3 | Multiple bone spurs, definite narrowing, sclerosis | Strong candidate |
| 4 | Large bone spurs, severe joint space collapse, bone deformity | Generally less effective given the advanced structural damage. We do evaluate select patients who cannot undergo knee replacement |
- Persistent pain after a knee replacement. These patients often have very few options left, and GAE is worth evaluating
- Poor surgical candidates. Age, heart or lung disease, or other conditions that make general anesthesia risky
- Patients who simply aren’t ready for surgery and want to know what else exists first
What the Research Actually Shows
We think patients deserve an honest picture rather than a sales pitch, so here is where the evidence stands.
Studies following patients after GAE consistently report meaningful improvement in pain and function, often sustained for a year or more. Those results are encouraging and they reflect what we see in appropriately selected patients.
The picture from placebo-controlled trials is more mixed. A small number of randomized trials have compared GAE against a sham procedure, and their results have been inconsistent — with some suggesting that a meaningful portion of the benefit may come from nonspecific effects rather than the embolization itself. These trials are small, and researchers continue to work on identifying which patients benefit most.
That uncertainty is precisely why our selection criteria matter. GAE is not a procedure that should be offered to anyone with a sore knee. It appears to work best in patients with confirmed osteoarthritis, genuine inflammatory pain, a meaningful symptom burden, and disease that has not yet progressed to complete joint collapse. Those are the patients we treat, and the ones we turn away are as important to that outcome as the ones we accept.
If you’d like to review the literature yourself, we’re happy to discuss it at your consultation — including where the evidence is still developing.
Why Should You Get In Touch With MIVA Medical?
Non-Surgical Alternative
For patients suffering from arthritis-related recurring knee pain who want to avoid surgery, GAE offers an innovative, minimally invasive path forward.
Same-Day Procedure, Outpatient
Once your consultation and workup are complete, GAE itself is performed under moderate sedation with a quick recovery — most patients avoid heavy lifting for just 5 days before resuming normal activity.
Board-Certified Specialists
Experienced interventional radiologists build an individualized care plan for every patient. Meet our doctors.
Your initial consultation is typically with Maddie Fennessey, NP, who works closely with Dr. Williams and Dr. Brown to build your care plan — a physician consultation can also be requested based on availability. Please note: MIVA Medical does not perform diagnostic imaging in-house; imaging is completed at an outside imaging center prior to treatment. MIVA Medical also offers uterine fibroid embolization (UFE), prostate artery embolization (PAE), and hemorrhoid artery embolization (HAE) — read what our patients say on our reviews page.
Serving Knee Pain Patients Across the Kansas City Metro
MIVA Medical’s Independence, MO clinic provides genicular artery embolization for patients throughout the greater Kansas City area, including Blue Springs, Lee’s Summit, Grain Valley, Raytown, Overland Park, and Kansas City, MO & KS. If you’ve been searching for a GAE or knee embolization specialist near you, our board-certified team is close by and taking new patients.
Looking for a knee pain specialist in Lee’s Summit? Patients from Lee’s Summit choose MIVA Medical for GAE because our Independence, MO clinic keeps your consultation and treatment personal and close to home.
Knee osteoarthritis treatment in Blue Springs, MO is one of our most common referral areas — if chronic knee pain has been limiting your activity, our team can evaluate whether GAE is right for you.
Considering GAE in Overland Park? Many Overland Park and Johnson County patients travel to MIVA Medical specifically for a non-surgical alternative to knee replacement.
Looking for knee embolization in Lenexa? Patients throughout Johnson County, including Lenexa, choose MIVA Medical for genicular artery embolization backed by board-certified interventional radiologists.
Searching for a knee pain doctor in Independence, Missouri? MIVA Medical is based right here in Independence, serving our own community first.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is MIVA the right place for genicular artery embolization?
The decision to treat chronic OA-related knee pain with GAE starts with a clinical evaluation and review of imaging. Patients who haven’t improved despite conservative measures — weight loss, physical therapy, NSAIDs like naproxen, and/or knee injections — may be suitable candidates, especially if they aren’t surgical candidates due to comorbidities or simply prefer a non-surgical option.
Is it possible to get back on my feet quickly?
Recovery time varies by therapy type, but most patients report minimal downtime. We advise avoiding heavy lifting for the first 5 days after treatment; aside from that, you’re free to resume your regular physical activity.
Is GAE a common alternative to knee replacement surgery for severe knee osteoarthritis?
The idea of knee injections followed by knee surgery is daunting for many people with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis. Genicular artery embolization is considered a potential game-changer in knee pain management — a minimally invasive procedure that blocks blood supply to certain areas of the knee joint to reduce pain and inflammation. While it isn’t right for everyone, GAE offers a promising option for those looking to avoid more extensive surgery. As with any medical treatment, consult with an interventional radiology specialist to determine if GAE is right for you.
How effective is GAE at reducing knee pain?
Studies following patients after GAE commonly report that a majority experience meaningful pain improvement, with gains in standardized function scores like WOMAC and KOOS. Most of that data comes from single-arm and cohort studies. The smaller number of randomized trials comparing GAE against a sham procedure have produced more mixed results, with some suggesting a substantial nonspecific component to the benefit. This is an area where research is ongoing, and it’s why careful patient selection matters so much — individual results vary with the severity of your arthritis and your overall health.
How does GAE compare to corticosteroid or hyaluronic acid knee injections?
Injections such as corticosteroids or hyaluronic acid aim to temporarily reduce inflammation or add joint lubrication, but their effects are often short-lived and require repeat treatments. GAE instead targets the abnormal blood vessel growth (angiogenesis) that drives ongoing inflammation at its source, which is why some patients experience longer-lasting relief after a single procedure.
Can GAE help with knee pain after a total knee replacement?
Yes. In addition to treating osteoarthritis-related pain, geniculate artery embolization has also been studied and used to treat recurrent bleeding into the joint (hemarthrosis) and persistent pain following total knee arthroplasty. This is a distinct use case from primary OA treatment, so candidacy should be discussed directly with your interventional radiologist.
What are the risks or side effects of GAE?
GAE has a favorable safety profile in published trials, with most side effects being mild and self-resolving, such as temporary skin discoloration, bruising, or soreness at the puncture site. Serious complications are uncommon. Your care team at MIVA Medical will review your individual risk factors during your consultation.
How long do the effects of GAE last?
Research following patients over time has shown that pain relief and functional improvement from GAE can be sustained for a year or more in many patients, with some studies continuing to track longer-term outcomes. As with any osteoarthritis treatment, results can vary, and some patients may benefit from a repeat procedure down the line.
Is GAE a new or experimental procedure?
GAE has been studied in peer-reviewed medical literature since the mid-2010s and has grown significantly in adoption since. It’s performed by interventional radiologists at academic medical centers and specialized clinics, including MIVA Medical, and continues to be studied in ongoing clinical trials to further refine patient selection and long-term outcomes.
Where can I find genicular artery embolization near Kansas City?
MIVA Medical performs geniculate (genicular) artery embolization at our Independence, MO clinic, serving patients throughout the greater Kansas City metro. Book a consultation or take our knee pain quiz to see if you’re a candidate.
Is GAE covered by insurance?
Coverage for GAE can vary by specific insurance plan and provider. Our team works with you and your insurance company to review coverage details before scheduling your procedure, so there are no surprises.
Related Reading From Our Blog
What Is Genicular Artery Embolization?
A closer look at how GAE works and what makes it different from surgery.
How Good Is Knee Embolization for Pain Relief?
What patients can expect in terms of pain relief and outcomes.
How Long Is Recovery After Treatment?
A realistic timeline for getting back to normal activity after GAE.
GAE Candidacy: Who Is a Good Fit?
An honest look at who tends to benefit most from GAE.
What Happens If You Don’t Treat Knee OA?
Why earlier evaluation matters as osteoarthritis progresses.
Protecting Your Knees During Exercise
A complete guide to injury prevention, warm-ups, and safe workout modifications.
GAE vs. Knee Replacement ·
Who Is and Isn’t a Good Fit for GAE ·
What Happens If You Don’t Treat Knee OA ·
Knee Embolization Side Effects ·
How to Know If You May Need GAE ·
Protecting Your Knees During Exercise
Take a Quiz to Learn if GAE Is Right For You
Answer a few quick questions to see if you may be a candidate for Geniculate Artery Embolization at MIVA Medical.