GENICULAR ARTERY EMBOLIZATION (GAE)
Dallas - Avoid Knee Surgery. Relieve Chronic Pain with GAE.
Stop the cycle of cortisone shots and avoid the 6-month recovery of a knee replacement.
Genicular Artery Embolization, or GAE, is a 1-hour, non-surgical outpatient procedure that targets the source of knee pain from osteoarthritis. Walk out the same day and get back to your active North Dallas lifestyle.
This minimally invasive approach is designed specifically for chronic knee pain and is performed right here in our Dallas facility by board-certified interventional specialists.
What is Genicular Arter Embolization (GAE)?
Genicular Artery Embolization (GAE) is a breakthrough interventional procedure that reduces knee pain by decreasing blood flow to the inflamed lining (synovium) of the knee.
Unlike total knee replacement, GAE requires no general anesthesia, no hospital stay, and no extensive physical therapy. For patients in North Dallas suffering from chronic knee pain from arthritis, GAE represents the most significant advancement in non-surgical pain management in the last decade.
How Is GAE Performed?
When you have osteoarthritis, your body grows abnormal blood vessels in your knee. These vessels carry high levels of inflammatory markers and pain-signaling nerves. To provide relief from this pain, our doctors use:
a small catheter is inserted through a tiny pinhole incision into an artery in your wrist or upper thigh
advanced X-ray guidance to reach the genicular arteries in the knee and inject microscopic particles to block the capillaries around the lining of the knee.
This reduces the inflammation and, in turn, reduces or eliminates the knee pain. Think of GAE as turning off the faucet to the inflammation in your knee.
Why Choose GAE at Advantage Vascular?
Pain Reduction
Clinical data (GENESIS Trial 2024) shows GAE provides 50%–80% pain reduction for up to 3 years, far outlasting the 6–12 week window of cortisone shots.
60–Minute Procedure
The entire procedure is completed in our state-of-the-art North Dallas clinic in under 60 minutes.
Lasting Relief
Superior to knee injections, GAE provides more lasting pain relief than corticosteroid or hyaluronic acid injections, which often wear off within weeks.
Complication Rate
As an image-guided vascular procedure, GAE has an exceptionally low complication rate.
No General Anesthesia
GAE is a minimally invasive, non-surgical approach performed under local sedation. Unlike a total knee replacement, GAE leaves no scars and requires no general anesthesia.
Future Treatment
Does not prohibit additional treatments in the future and significantly extends time until a knee replacement is required.
GAE vs. Knee Replacement Surgery
GAE at Advantage Vascular
Local Sedation
Pinhole Incision with No Stitches
In-office Suite (Non-Surgical)
1-2 Days of Recovery Time
No Assistive Devices
Home In ~ 2 Hours (Walk-Out Same Day)
Does Not Prevent Future Surgery
Total Knee Replacement
General Anesthesia
6-10 Inch Surgical Cut
Hospital or Surgery Center
3-6 Months of Recovery Time
4-6 Weeks of Walkers, Canes, and PT
Home Same-Day or 1-2 Night Hospital Stay
Permanent (Possible Revision Later)
Who Is a Candidate for GAE?
Embolization is best suited for patients who:
Are between the ages of 40–80
Have moderate-to-severe knee arthritis
No longer see pain relief following physical therapy or cortisone shots
Are told they are bone-on-bone
Want to know more?
Use the clinical WOMAC Assessment (a gold-standard scale for knee function) to determine if your inflammation levels make you a prime candidate for GAE.
Your Questions About Genicular Artery Embolization, Answered
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Most patients feel only a pressure sensation. You are sedated and comfortable.
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No. Most patients are walking normally within 2 hours of the procedure.
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Clinical data (including the GENESIS Trial) shows a 70%–80% success rate in achieving significant pain reduction. Most patients report a 50% or greater decrease in pain within 2–4 weeks of the procedure.
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While steroid shots often wear off in 6–12 weeks, the effects of GAE are long-term. Current studies show that relief typically lasts 12 to 24 months, with some patients remaining pain-free for up to 3 years.
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Yes. GAE is an FDA-cleared procedure. Medicare and most major private insurance plans cover GAE when it is deemed medically necessary (typically after you have failed conservative treatments like physical therapy or shots). Our Dallas office provides a full insurance verification before your visit.
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Advanced Vascular sees patients across the North Dallas corridor, including Plano, Frisco, McKinney, and Park Cities.
Take the first step toward chronic knee pain relief.
Whether you're walking the Katy Trail or finishing 18 holes at Gleneagles, don't let knee pain sideline you.
Schedule a consult by calling our North Dallas office at (972)483-5714 or completing our online form.