genicular artery embolization

Indications

• osteoarthritis of the knee

Adverse effects

• temporary skin discoloration
• mild knee pain

Procedure

• embolization of specific genicular arteries with small particles to reduce blood flow to the articular network of the knee
  • an intravascular catheter is introduced through a femoral artery via a 4-Fr sheath
  • embolization is performed using imipenem/cilastatin
• target genicular arteries are determined using digital subtraction angiography in correlation with patient pain points
• procedure can be performed quickly with minimal recovery time
• relief or knee pain is temporary but lasts several months or longer

More general terms

• surgical embolization

Additional terms

• genicular artery