What is GAE?

Genicular Artery Embolization (GAE)

GAE is a minimally invasive procedure done under local anesthesia to help relieve knee pain caused by osteoarthritis (OA). It works by blocking tiny inflamed blood vessels in the knee that contribute to pain and swelling. By reducing inflammation, GAE can provide both immediate and long-term relief from OA knee pain.

Is GAE Right for You?

GAE is for patients who have struggled with severe knee pain due to arthritis and who have had no relief with conservative therapy for at least 3 months. It’s a great alternative if you’re not a candidate for surgery or would prefer a less invasive approach.

Benefits of GAE?

GAE can provide relief from the symptoms of knee OA.

  • This treatment is less invasive than surgery and requires less recovery time.
  • Having a GAE procedure keeps all other future treatment options available.
  • In all clinical trials to date, the majority of patients experienced significant pain reduction that lasts more than 6 months.
  • With resorbable beads there is nothing left behind in your knee.
What to Expect During the Procedure
The Procedure Your doctor will instruct you on how to prepare for the procedure i.e. any changes to medication and if fasting is necessary. You will be given a local anesthetic, which numbs the area. You might also get a mild sedative to help you relax, but you will be awake for the duration of the procedure. The doctor will make a small incision in your leg and insert a long, thin tube called a catheter. Using x-ray equipment (fluoroscopy), the doctor will guide the catheter to the blood vessels in your knee. The doctor will also use contrast dye that shows up on x-rays to see the vessels better. Through the catheter, the doctor will deliver tiny particles into the neovessels that are causing the inflammation. These particles block the blood flow, which kills the neovessels and reduces inflammation and pain.
After the Procedure There will be a 2 hour observation period in the clinic In most cases, an overnight hospital stay is not required. The treatment site may be a little sore the next day and you may feel tired after the procedure.

The Product

SakuraBeads are made from completely organic material.

After the procedure, the beads dissolve and are eliminated from the body. As the beads are delivered directly to the area that is causing the pain, the blood flow in the rest of the leg will remain the same and no other part of the body will be affected.

A Pilot study of GAE using SakuraBead was completed with 15 patients suffering with significant knee pain as a result of knee osteoarthritis.

There are a lot of treatment options when it comes to OA and choosing the right one for you may be difficult.

As the condition escalates, it becomes harder to find sources of pain relief. Here we outline where a GAE procedure may best fit in your continuum of care.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does the procedure take?

You will spend about 4 or 5 hours in the doctor’s clinic. The actual procedure is much shorter and in most cases is complete in 1 –2 hrs.

Will it hurt?

The GAE procedure should not be particularly painful. You will feel a pinch of pain when the physician uses a needle to get access to your blood vessels. Some patients feel pain similar to their osteoarthritis knee pain at the time of injection. None of these pains last more than a few seconds. After the procedure you may continue to have some pain from the access site for a day or two. This pain should be well managed with regular over the counter pain medication.

If the treatment doesn’t work for me, can I still get a knee replacement?

If the treatment doesn’t work for me can I still get a knee replacement? A Yes – Having either a GAE or Steroid injection will not impact your suitability for knee replacement surgery.

Is the treatment effective?

The procedure has been shown to be effective for the majority of patients in previously trial however SakuraBead remains an investigational device.

Who will do the GAE procedure?

The GAE procedure will only be performed by board certified interventional radiologist. The physicians chosen for this trial are all experts in the procedure and have typically done the procedure more than 50mins.

What are the risks?

There most common side effects of this procedure are skin discolorations at the site of the embolization. This areas of discolouration are expected to be short term and should resolve within a few hours without additional treatment.