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Knee pain · Interventional radiology
Genicular Artery Embolization (GAE) in New York
Knee arthritis can make everyday movement difficult. GAE is a minimally invasive option for selected patients whose pain persists despite nonsurgical care. Start with an evaluation of your knee, your goals and your treatment options.
Image-guided treatment
Outpatient procedure
No joint-replacement implant
Individualized evaluation
A clear next step for persistent knee-arthritis pain
If walking, stairs or standing have become difficult, you deserve a careful assessment and a plan you understand. An interventional-radiology consultation can help determine whether GAE fits your situation and how it compares with other options. Requesting a consultation does not commit you to a procedure.
What is GAE, and how does it work?
Genicular artery embolization targets abnormal small blood vessels associated with inflammation around an arthritic knee. An interventional radiologist guides a thin catheter into selected artery branches and delivers tiny particles to reduce that abnormal blood flow. The aim is to reduce inflammation-related pain while preserving the joint. 1
GAE does not replace worn cartilage, correct major deformity or cure osteoarthritis. It addresses one contributor to pain. The evaluation should establish what is causing your symptoms before deciding whether embolization is appropriate. 1
Map
Identify the relevant vessels with imaging.
Treat
Deliver particles into selected branches.
Follow up
Track pain, mobility and recovery.
Who may be a candidate?
GAE may be considered when knee osteoarthritis continues to limit daily life despite conservative treatment and a patient is not a candidate for knee replacement or wishes to discuss delaying it. The 2026 Society of Interventional Radiology position statement supports consideration in appropriately selected patients within multidisciplinary care. 2
- Persistent knee pain affecting activities that matter to you.
- An osteoarthritis diagnosis and review of available imaging.
- Prior nonsurgical care that has not provided adequate relief.
- A willingness to discuss expected benefit, risks and alternatives.
A consultation is an assessment, not a guarantee of eligibility. Severe structural damage or another explanation for pain may make a different treatment more appropriate.
What happens at the consultation?
Bring your knee imaging and reports if available, a medication list, a summary of prior injections or physical therapy, and your insurance information. Explain where the pain occurs and which activities it limits. Tell the team about prior knee surgery, contrast reactions and other medical conditions.
Ask what findings support GAE in your case, what other treatments remain reasonable, who would perform the procedure, where it would take place and how follow-up would be arranged. Confirm any referral or authorization requirements before scheduling.
What happens during the procedure?
GAE is an image-guided procedure performed by an interventional radiologist. Local anesthetic numbs the artery-access area; sedation may also be used. Through a small puncture, the physician advances a catheter, uses contrast and X-ray guidance to assess the vessels, and treats selected branches. The catheter is removed afterward; embolic particles remain in the treated vessels. 3
Outpatient GAE commonly takes about one to two hours, with additional time for preparation and observation. Same-day discharge is usual when recovery is satisfactory. Your team will explain its own access, sedation and discharge plan rather than promise a fixed timetable. 3
Recovery: plan for the procedure and the days afterward
Arrange a responsible adult to accompany you home if you receive sedation. Follow your own team's instructions about fasting, medications, wound care, driving, exercise and work. Do not stop prescribed medicines or blood thinners on your own. 3
Bruising at the access site, temporary knee soreness and temporary skin changes can occur. Improvement may develop over days or weeks, and the timing and amount of relief vary. Avoid planning around an instant or guaranteed return to every activity. 1
Procedure day
Preparation, treatment, observation and discharge instructions.
Early recovery
Protect the access site and follow activity guidance.
Follow-up
Review pain, walking ability and any new symptoms.
Contact your treating team about worsening symptoms, fever or access-site bleeding. Seek emergency care for a severe or rapidly worsening problem. 3
Potential benefits and what the evidence can tell us
The goal is less pain and better function without replacing the joint. The SIR position statement recognizes GAE as an option after conservative therapy and calls for larger randomized studies. Outcomes depend on patient selection, technique and the condition of the knee. 2
Research findings are mixed. A small randomized trial reported greater short-term improvement with GAE than with a sham procedure; a larger 2024 sham-controlled trial did not show a statistically significant difference at four months. These results support an honest discussion of uncertainty rather than a universal success percentage. 4,5
Ask what benefit is realistic for you, how it will be measured, and what the next step would be if pain persists. Published study results are not a promise of your result.
Risks and limitations to discuss
GAE has risks despite its minimally invasive approach. They include access-site bleeding or vessel injury, contrast-related reactions, temporary pain or skin changes, and unintended embolization of tissue outside the target. Kidney function and other health issues can influence the treatment plan. The consent discussion should address your individual risks. 1,3,5
There may be incomplete relief, no meaningful improvement or a return of symptoms. GAE does not make osteoarthritis disappear. Continuing a broader knee-care plan remains important. 2
How GAE fits with other knee treatments
The right choice depends on your diagnosis, degree of joint damage, medical history and goals. GAE is one option to discuss alongside established nonsurgical care and orthopedic evaluation. It should not delay treatment of a problem that needs another approach. 2,6
Exercise, physical therapy and weight management when appropriate
Support strength, movement and everyday function; remain central to osteoarthritis care. 6
Medicines and joint injections
May help manage symptoms; suitability and duration of benefit vary. 6
GAE
Targets abnormal blood vessels related to inflammation; does not repair cartilage. 1,2
Knee replacement
Replaces damaged joint surfaces; may be appropriate when symptoms and structural disease warrant surgery. 7
Interventional-radiology care at 1Vascular
1Vascular is part of the NYMD medical network. Yosef Golowa, MD, FSIR, is listed in the practice's physician records as board-certified in Diagnostic Radiology and Vascular & Interventional Radiology. Learn about his background and discuss the appropriate treating clinician during scheduling.
All insurance accepted, including Medicare and Medicaid
Inclusive access is a practice priority. We accept all insurance, including Medicare and Medicaid. Acceptance of your plan does not automatically establish coverage for GAE. Procedure-specific benefits, medical-necessity rules, referrals, prior authorization and patient responsibility must be checked for your individual plan.
Request a benefits review as part of scheduling. Ask what information is needed, whether authorization is required and what costs may remain before agreeing to treatment.
Questions patients ask
Is GAE the same as a knee injection?
No. GAE uses a catheter inside selected arteries. A joint injection delivers medication into or around the joint. They have different mechanisms and risks. 1,6
Does GAE replace knee-replacement surgery?
It does not replace the joint or correct major structural damage. An orthopedic assessment may still be appropriate. Discuss both paths when deciding what fits your knee. 1,7
Will I be pain-free afterward?
No procedure can promise that. Some patients improve; others have limited or no benefit. The evidence and your individual findings should guide expectations. 4,5
Does it involve an overnight hospital stay?
GAE is generally outpatient with observation afterward. Discharge depends on your recovery and the treating team's plan. 3
Is there a catheter?
Yes. A thin catheter is temporarily placed inside an artery to deliver treatment. It is removed afterward. This is different from a urinary catheter. 3
How long does relief last?
Duration varies. Ask how your team assesses response and manages persistent or returning pain. GAE does not stop the underlying arthritis from progressing. 2
What if I already have a knee replacement?
Persistent pain after replacement needs a separate assessment. Do not assume the osteoarthritis GAE pathway applies; bring surgical records and discuss the cause of pain with your orthopedic and interventional-radiology teams.
Can I have both knees treated?
Discuss each knee separately. The treatment sequence and interval depend on your assessment, recovery and the physician's plan. 3
Take the next step toward a knee-care plan
Request a GAE consultation with 1Vascular. The team can help arrange an evaluation, review your insurance questions and explain what records to bring. Confirm the consultation and procedure location when scheduling.
Tell us what you want to get back to doing—walking farther, using stairs more comfortably or managing everyday activities. Those goals make the treatment discussion more useful.
Sources and further reading
This educational guide supports a consultation and does not replace individualized medical advice. Sources were checked October 4, 2026.
- UCSF — Geniculate Artery Embolization
- Society of Interventional Radiology — GAE position statement, 2026
- Memorial Sloan Kettering — About Your Knee Embolization
- Bagla et al. — Multicenter Randomized Sham Controlled Study, 2022
- van Zadelhoff et al. — Randomised sham-controlled trial, 2024
- NICE — Osteoarthritis in over 16s: diagnosis and management
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons — Total Knee Replacement