Overview

Knee osteoarthritis is a common cause of chronic pain, stiffness, swelling, and reduced mobility. For many patients, symptoms persist despite medication, injections, physical therapy, or lifestyle changes.

When inflammation and abnormal blood flow contribute to ongoing pain, a minimally invasive vascular treatment may help reduce symptoms and improve function.

ELMNT IR offers image-guided treatments designed to address select causes of chronic knee pain without joint replacement surgery.

Symptoms of Knee Osteoarthritis

Symptoms may develop gradually and worsen over time. Common symptoms include:

• Chronic knee pain
• Swelling or stiffness
• Pain with walking, stairs, or standing
• Reduced range of motion
• Grinding or catching sensation
• Difficulty staying active
• Symptoms that persist despite conservative care

These symptoms can limit mobility, independence, exercise, and daily activities.

When to Seek Treatment

Many patients live with chronic knee pain for years before exploring additional options. Evaluation is recommended when symptoms are persistent, worsening, or no longer controlled with conservative care.

Untreated or progressive knee pain can lead to:

• Reduced mobility
• Loss of strength and conditioning
• Greater reliance on pain medication
• Reduced quality of life
• Delayed or complicated treatment decisions

How Knee Osteoarthritis is Diagnosed

Diagnosis typically involves:

• Clinical history and symptom assessment
• Physical exam
• X-ray or MRI when appropriate
• Review of prior treatments such as injections, therapy, or medications
• Evaluation of whether pain pattern fits a vascular/inflammatory treatment approach

ELMNT IR works closely with referring physicians to determine whether genicular artery embolization may be appropriate.

Treatment Options

Treatment depends on severity, imaging findings, prior treatment response, and patient goals. Options may include:

• Physical therapy and exercise modification
• Anti-inflammatory medication or pain management
• Steroid or hyaluronic acid injections
• Bracing or activity modification
• Joint replacement surgery in advanced cases
• Minimally invasive treatments, including embolization

A Minimally Invasive Option

For select patients, Genicular Artery Embolization (GAE) targets abnormal blood vessels believed to contribute to inflammation and pain around the knee.

By reducing this abnormal blood flow, GAE may help decrease pain and improve function without replacing the joint.

Key advantages:

• No joint replacement
• Reduced need for repeated injections and/or pain medications
• Minimally invasive, catheter-based treatment
• Outpatient procedure
• Short recovery time
• May help patients who have not responded to conservative care

Learn more about Genicular Artery Embolization (GAE) 

Who is a Candidate

You may be a candidate for GAE if:

• You have chronic knee osteoarthritis pain
• Symptoms persist despite conservative treatment
• You want to delay or avoid joint replacement
• You are not ready or not ideal for surgery
• You want to avoid repeated joint injections or long-term use of NSAIDs
• Imaging and clinical evaluation support embolization as an option

A consultation and appropriate imaging review are required to determine candidacy. whether GAE is appropriate for your specific condition.

Why ELMNT IR

ELMNT IR is designed to bring advanced interventional radiology procedures out of the hospital and into a more accessible, patient-centered setting.

• Specialized focus on image-guided therapies
• Experience with embolization-based pain procedures
• Streamlined referral and scheduling process
• Outpatient environment designed for comfort and efficiency
• Close coordination with referring physicians

Next Steps

If chronic knee pain is limiting your activity, evaluation can help determine whether GAE may be an appropriate non-surgical option.

📩 Request a consultation or speak with your physician about referral to ELMNT IR.