Interventional procedure significantly reduces reliance on steroid injections for knee osteoarthritis
A procedure performed by interventional radiologists could significantly reduce the need for steroid injections in patients with knee osteoarthritis.
New research published in the Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiology details the effectiveness of genicular artery embolization at reducing pain and restoring functionality. GAE is an image-guided, minimally invasive procedure, which involves embolizing certain arteries that supply blood to the knee joint. This reduces inflammation and pain and allows patients to achieve relief without having to undergo surgery and months of physical therapy.
Patients who undergo the procedure require fewer intra-articular injections during the subsequent year, according to the study’s findings. The procedure has emerged as a promising treatment alternative for individuals who need more relief than what conservative management offers, but who are not yet ready to undergo major curative surgery.
“Steroid injections provide only short-term relief, and repeated use carries concern for further cartilage damage, while the benefit of hyaluronic acid remains contentious,” Aryaman Singh, with University of Virginia School of Medicine, and colleagues noted. “Total knee arthroplasty, while definitive, requires major surgery with extended recovery, and roughly 1 in 5 patients report continued pain.”
The study analyzed insurance claims data from 126 patients who underwent embolization for knee osteoarthritis. Researchers compared annualized injection use during the 12 months before the procedure with the six months afterward.
In the half-year following the procedure, annualized corticosteroid injection use decreased by 50% among the group, while use of any intra-articular injection declined by 44%. Among the 52 patients who received corticosteroid injections before embolization, nearly 89% had fewer injections after the procedure, and 69% received no further steroid injections during the timeframe studied (2014 to 2024).
However, rates of progression to total knee arthroplasty were similar between patients who underwent embolization and a matched comparison group of patients with knee osteoarthritis who did not undergo the procedure. The findings suggest GAE may be associated with reduced reliance on injections, but they do not establish that it delays or prevents surgery.
The team suggested that more longitudinal studies are needed to determine whether genicular artery embolization can reduce the necessity of total knee arthroplasty in the long-term.
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In addition to her background in journalism, Hannah also has patient-facing experience in clinical settings, having spent more than 12 years working as a registered rad tech. She began covering the medical imaging industry for Innovate Healthcare in 2021.