New Study Reveals GAE Is Effective Treatment for Arthritis Knee Pain

This article was medically authored by Dr. Eric Hardee and was last reviewed for accuracy on 06/24/2026.

If you have developed osteoarthritis in the knee, you may be seeking treatment for arthritis knee pain. But what is arthritis, why does it cause pain and what are your treatment options when lifestyle adjustments fail to offer relief? Keep reading to find out.

Key Takeaways

• Knee osteoarthritis can cause joint pain, stiffness and limits on mobility
• When conservative treatment for arthritis knee pain fails to offer sufficient relief, minimally invasive Genicular Artery Embolization (GAE) is another option
• New evidence proves that GAE offers significant pain relief for at least 12 months, without a risk of side effects or complications

What is arthritis of the knee?

Arthritis is a term that describes swelling and tenderness in one or more of your joints. If you have arthritis of the knee, joints in one or both knees may be affected, leading to additional symptoms such as pain and stiffness, reduced mobility, inflammation and even nerve pain. Osteoarthritis is the most common form of the disease, and it often impacts your knee joints. In fact, the World Health Organization estimates that arthritis affects more than 365 million adults globally. Now, the disease is progressive and has no cure. But there are treatments available that can help relieve your pain.

Treatment for Arthritis Knee Pain

When you have arthritis in one or both knees, it’s important to seek early intervention. With early intervention and prompt treatment, you can maintain mobility, manage pain and delay or prevent disease progression.

For some people, pain can be relieved with heating pads and over-the-counter non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication. Physical therapy and regular exercise can help preserve your mobility. And, in some cases, injections can offer additional pain relief. But, when those treatments fail to fully offer relief, and you aren’t ready for surgery, aren’t a surgical candidate, or simply wish to delay this invasive treatment option, it’s time to explore genicular artery embolization (GAE), an alternative to surgical treatment for arthritis knee pain.

What is GAE?

GAE is a non-surgical procedure that can slow osteoarthritis progression in your knee. Because it is minimally invasive, and the procedure lasts just about one hour, this treatment won’t require hospitalization or general anesthesia.

During the procedure, we’ll administer an anesthetic through a small puncture in your groin. Then, we’ll use that access point to insert a thin catheter into your femoral artery, guiding it to your knee’s genicular artery with the help of X-ray imaging. 

Once the genicular arteries are in sight, we release small embolic materials into your vessels, limiting blood flow to the lining of your knee and reducing pain, inflammation and other symptoms of knee arthritis. Finally, we extract your catheter, cover your puncture site with a sanitized bandage, and send you home a few hours later, when you’re able to walk. The day after choosing this treatment for arthritis knee pain, you’ll be able to resume your normal activities. And, within weeks, you should experience noticeable arthritis symptom relief.

New Evidence on GAE’s Efficacy

In a new study published in the journal Radiology, researchers followed close to 200 women and men with osteoarthritis-related knee pain. All participants underwent the GAE procedure with no moderate or severe adverse events. Researchers followed up with participants one year after GAE, and found that there was, “A significant drop in pain and a significant increase in function, including sports and recreation and daily activity," following this treatment for knee arthritis. Moreover, researchers learned that participants "quality of life significantly increased" after GAE.

Why is this study so important? Lead researcher Dr. Florian Nima Fleckenstein explains, "Our study demonstrates that GAE using rapidly resorbable gelatin-based microspheres is a safe, minimally invasive therapy that provides meaningful pain relief and functional improvement in participants with osteoarthritis-related knee symptoms for at least 12 months. This lets us speak about safety and efficacy with real confidence.” As such, he concluded, "For the right patient, it can mean lasting relief from a single, minimally invasive procedure—a meaningful new option between injections and joint replacement."

Choosing GAE as Treatment for Arthritis Knee Pain

Ready to see if you’re a candidate for GAE? This procedure may be your ideal treatment if you:

• Have a formal knee osteoarthritis diagnosis
• Are living with moderate to severe knee pain and stiffness
• Haven’t found relief through medications or conservative treatment options
• Are between the ages of 40 and 80, and are in generally good health

Do you meet these criteria and you’re ready to find your pathway to relief? Contact us today to request a consultation at one of our seven Texas Endovascular locations in the greater Houston and Dallas regions.