GAE Knee Treatment in Brooklyn

Astra Knee Pain Center provides a relatively new genicular artery embolization procedure for non-surgical knee pain treatment in Brooklyn and Bronx. If you’ve tried multiple forms of treatment and still haven’t found relief, call our GAE specialists to discover if this treatment is right for you.

What Is Genicular Artery Embolization (GAE)?

Genicular artery embolization (GAE) is an advanced medical procedure designed to reduce and even eliminate knee pain. GAE slows down the blood flow to small arteries in the knee joint called the genicular arteries. When these tissues become inflamed, they create abnormal blood vessels that cause swelling and stiffness. GAE blocks some of these abnormal vessels, which reduces inflammation and joint damage, in turn easing your discomfort.

The results from GAE are promising when performed by experts in the field. You may experience significant pain reduction and better function for months to years all from a simple outpatient procedure. Dr. George Bolotin at the Astra Knee Pain Center supports you with patient resources to help you make an informed choice about whether this innovative treatment is right for your knee pain conditions. You learn if you qualify for GAE or why you shouldn’t get GAE, based on specific health factors.

Which Knee Conditions Respond Best to this Non-Surgical Knee Pain Treatment?

If you’ve been diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis, you’re likely dealing with symptoms that include stiffness, swelling and constant pain. This condition wears down the protective cartilage in your knee, which causes friction and inflammation. While GAE doesn’t rebuild cartilage, it reduces the inflammation that causes your pain.

GAE is also effective for treating other conditions, such as:

• Post-traumatic knee arthritis, which is ongoing joint pain that develops after a knee injury
• Knee bursitis, or inflammation of the small fluid-filled sacs that cushion your knee joint, common with aging and degeneration
• A meniscus tear, which is damage to the cartilage that stabilizes and cushions your knee
• Patellofemoral syndrome, which includes pain around or behind the kneecap that worsens with movement
• Chondromalacia patella, the softening or damage to the cartilage under the kneecap that leads to chronic pain
• Chronic inflammatory knee pain, a long-term inflammation not caused by an autoimmune disorder

GAE is also an option when other conservative treatments don’t work. If you’ve already tried physical therapy, medications, steroid injections and lifestyle changes with little success, GAE could be your next step. Many people choose GAE in Brooklyn to delay or avoid knee replacement surgery altogether.

How Is GAE Procedure Performed?

Your knee pain specialists in Brooklyn use local anesthesia to numb the area where the catheter is placed before your non-surgical knee pain treatment begins. This ensures you remain awake but comfortable throughout the process. Once the area is numb, your GAE doctor in Brooklyn makes a tiny incision to insert a catheter into one of your arteries.

When the catheter is correctly positioned near your inflamed genicular arteries, your doctor injects tiny embolization particles through the catheter. These particles block the abnormal blood flow that fuels inflammation in your knee joint.

Right after your procedure, the GAE recovery timeline begins and may include:

• Day of Procedure. You go home the same day; no hospital stay needed.
• Days 1 to 3.Mild soreness or bruising at the catheter site is common.
• End of week 1.By now, you notice the first signs of pain relief.
• Weeks 2 to 4.You feel better and more mobile and comfortable day by day.
• Weeks 4 to 6.Everyday activities like walking and climbing stairs feel easier.

Are There Any Long-Term Side Effects After GAE?

GAE has proven to be a safe and effective option. Clinical studies and patient outcomes show that long-term risks and side effects of GAE are rare. The tiny particles used during your procedure remain in place and are generally well-tolerated within your body. Reduced blood flow after GAE is both controlled and safe. The procedure specifically targets only the inflamed genicular arteries and leaves your healthy tissues unaffected.

In many cases, your surrounding tissues adjust without any issues. In very rare situations, if embolic particles move beyond the intended area, nearby tissues may be affected. This is extremely unlikely especially when your procedure is done by a skilled knee pain specialist in the Bronx.

You may notice a few short-term effects, but they usually go away quickly, and may include:

• Mild soreness or bruising where the catheter was inserted
• Temporary discomfort in your knee as your body adjusts
• Tiredness or slight stiffness in the first few days

What Are the Benefits of GAE Compared to Other Treatments?

GAE gives you lasting relief from knee pain without needing invasive surgery, a long recovery or frequent injections. Knee replacement surgery is often considered the last resort for severe arthritis. GAE, on the other hand, is minimally invasive and doesn’t require cutting or replacing the joint.

Benefits of GAE vs. knee replacement include:

• No hospital stay
• Faster recovery
• No general anesthesia
• Preserves your natural joints
• Fewer risks and complications

Physical therapy helps you move better and manage your knee pain, but it doesn’t directly target the inflamed blood vessels causing your discomfort.

Very often, when you stop doing the exercises to strengthen other parts of your legs, the pain returns, whereas GAE offers benefits that include:

• Targeting the source of inflammation directly
• Providing longer-lasting relief especially if PT alone hasn’t worked
• Doesn’t require months of sessions to see results
• Can be combined with PT later to enhance outcomes

Genicular artery embolization is being found to offer superior results compared to other, more traditional approaches to relieving knee pain.

And as an alternative to total knee replacement, its benefits outweigh other treatments, such as:

• GAE vs. PRP and stem cell. GAE directly targets the inflamed arteries, not just the symptoms.
• GAE vs. steroid injections. You avoid repeated injections and the risks of joint damage over time.
• GAE vs. TENS & neuromodulation devices. GAE doesn’t rely on external devices to manage your pain.

How to Find a Doctor Offering the GAE Procedure Nearby

Here are practical steps to help you find a qualified specialist for this advanced treatment in your area:

• Start by asking your primary care physician, orthopedic doctor, or pain specialist if they can refer you to a provider who performs genicular artery embolization (GAE)
• Check hospital systems or interventional radiology centers, as GAE is typically performed by specialists trained in image-guided procedures
• Use healthcare platforms like Zocdoc, Healthgrades, or your insurance provider’s directory to find in-network providers offering GAE
• Use Google Maps and search for “gae procedure near me” or “gae knee procedure near me” to locate nearby clinics, compare ratings, and review patient feedback
• Read patient reviews on Google to understand experiences with knee pain relief, recovery time, and overall care quality
• Visit provider websites to confirm they offer genicular artery embolization and review how the procedure is performed and who qualifies
• Look for specialists in interventional radiology, as GAE is a minimally invasive procedure that uses imaging to guide treatment inside the blood vessels
• Call the office to ask whether you are a candidate for GAE and what diagnostic imaging (like X-rays or MRI) may be required beforehand
• Schedule a consultation to review your symptoms, prior treatments, and whether GAE is appropriate for your condition
• Choose a clinic that provides a personalized treatment plan focused on reducing inflammation, relieving pain, and improving knee function without surgery

At Astra Knee Pain Center, our team of interventional radiologists, pain management doctors, and rehabilitation physicians specializes in advanced, minimally invasive treatments like genicular artery embolization. Using image-guided techniques, we target the source of inflammation in the knee to help reduce pain and improve mobility without the need for surgery.

Is GAE Covered by Insurance?

GAE is still considered relatively new in the field of arthritis treatment. Your insurance coverage for GAE varies depending on your specific insurance plan. Some private insurance companies cover GAE if it’s deemed medically necessary, especially if you haven’t found relief through conservative treatments.

Medicaid or Medicare coverage for GAE may be available in certain cases but it’s often limited and subject to regional variations and individual evaluations. You’re required to meet strict criteria for coverage.

If your insurance plan doesn’t cover the full GAE cost, or only covers a portion of the procedure, you may have to pay out-of-pocket for expenses such as:

• The GAE procedure itself
• Follow-up visits and monitoring
• Facility or hospital fees

Where Can I Get Genicular Artery Embolization in Brooklyn?

At the Astra Knee Pain Center, you have access to a team of experts who specialize in non-surgical knee pain treatments including GAE. Their board-certified interventional radiologists use the latest imaging and techniques to treat your knee pain precisely and safely without the need for invasive surgery.

Whether you’re exploring genicular artery embolization or need a second opinion regarding knee surgery, you receive clear answers and personalized care. Contact the Astra Knee Pain Center today to discuss your knee health and non-surgical treatment options with an experienced GAE specialist in Brooklyn.

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