Back in the driver’s seat and back on the dance floor
Knee arthritis and persistent knee pain had taken Silvia P. away from the work, exercise and dancing she loved. After discovering Genicular Artery Embolization at Empire Vein & Vascular Specialists, she says she finally got something much more important than pain relief: her life back.
Silvia has never been someone who likes to sit still. At 54, the professional truck driver had spent years balancing long hours on the road with an active life outside of work. She loved working out, lifting weights, running and teaching Zumba. Most of all, she loved dancing with her husband.
Over time, knee arthritis began to change all of that. Her knees would swell, burn and ache throughout the day, and eventually the pain began interfering with her sleep. At work, something as routine as climbing into the cab of her truck became difficult. Exercise became harder, running became increasingly uncomfortable and eventually Silvia stopped teaching Zumba altogether. For someone whose life had always been defined by movement, knee pain was beginning to affect nearly every part of her day.
She had already tried so much
Silvia had already tried several treatments for her knee arthritis. She took pain medications, underwent gel injections and even tried stem cell therapy, but the relief she was hoping for never came.
Knee replacement was another possibility, but Silvia did not want to undergo major surgery if another option was available. She was concerned about the risks of surgery and the prospect of a months-long recovery that could keep her away from work and the activities she loved. Rather than accept that as her only path forward, she continued looking for alternatives.
Her search eventually brought her to Empire Vein & Vascular Specialists and Dr. Pushpinder Sivia, a board-certified vascular surgeon who has performed more than 800 GAE procedures. It was there that Silvia first learned about Genicular Artery Embolization, or GAE, a minimally invasive treatment for knee osteoarthritis pain.
Silvia says Dr. Sivia and the Empire team made her feel comfortable from the beginning. They explained the procedure, answered her questions and gave her confidence that there might be another way to address her knee pain without immediately moving to knee replacement surgery.
A different approach to knee arthritis
GAE is a minimally invasive outpatient procedure that targets small blood vessels associated with inflammation inside the arthritic knee. Using a tiny catheter guided through the blood vessels, Dr. Sivia identifies the arteries supplying the inflamed tissue and delivers Embosphere® Microspheres to reduce excess blood flow to those areas. Unlike knee replacement, the joint itself is not removed or replaced.
“With GAE, we are able to target the inflammation contributing to knee arthritis pain without replacing the knee,” says Dr. Sivia. “For the right patient, it gives us a minimally invasive option when other treatments have not provided enough relief.”
For Silvia, that difference mattered. She wanted something that could address her knee arthritis pain without major surgery and a lengthy recovery, so she decided to move forward. Her GAE procedure was also covered by her insurance, though coverage depends on each patient’s plan.
The treatment was performed on an outpatient basis at the Empire Vein Surgery Center in Rancho Mirage, California. Silvia’s procedure took approximately 30 minutes, and about an hour later she was discharged and able to go home. There was no hospital stay and no months-long surgical recovery ahead of her. Instead, she went home the same day and began the process of getting back to the life her knee pain had slowly taken away.
Getting back to her life
About a week after her procedure, Silvia was feeling refreshed. By two weeks, she was back to her usual routine, noticing improvements in the everyday activities that had become so difficult. She could climb stairs more comfortably and move more freely. At work, she was once again able to climb into her truck without the same struggle she had experienced before, an important milestone for someone whose livelihood depended on being able to stay active and independent.
But perhaps the most meaningful change happened away from work. Silvia started dancing again. She could once again enjoy the music and dance the merengue with her husband, something that had become increasingly difficult when her knees were at their worst.
Life after GAE
Silvia can work more comfortably, climb stairs, move more freely and enjoy the activities that had slowly disappeared from her life. For her, the experience was about much more than treating a painful knee.
Empire Vein & Vascular gave me my life back.
For someone who had spent so much of her life moving, working and dancing, being able to do those things again means everything. Now, when the music comes on, Silvia does not have to sit and watch. She can get up and dance.
Individual results may vary. The statements made by the endorsers reflect their personal experience and are not a guarantee of specific outcomes.
If you or someone you know is experiencing knee arthritis pain, talk with the team at Empire Vein & Vascular Specialists and find out if you may be a candidate for Genicular Artery Embolization.
