Knee arthritis relief with GAE, without surgery
No surgery.
Up to 80% less knee pain* with genicular artery embolization (GAE), a 30-minute outpatient treatment that keeps your own knee.
Relief that lasts
less knee pain*
patients report lasting relief
of relief in studies, and it can be repeated
until you’re back to light activity
*Individual results vary.
Knee pain quiz
Here’s what your answers tell us
Sudden swelling or pain in one leg is different. It can signal a blood clot (DVT), which needs same-day care. Please call your doctor today, or 911 if you also have chest pain or trouble breathing.
It may be best for us to evaluate your condition in person. Skin damage and slow-healing sores near the ankle can be signs of more advanced vein disease. A screening gets you in front of a specialist quickly.
Inner-knee pain is the most common pattern
The inside of the knee carries the most load, so it is usually where arthritis pain settles first — and it is the area GAE most often targets.
Front-of-knee pain has more than one cause
Pain around the kneecap can come from the joint surface or from the soft tissue around it. Imaging at your consult is what separates the two.
Pain across the whole knee suggests widespread wear
When it is hard to point to one spot, the joint lining is often inflamed rather than one area being worn. That inflammation is what GAE is aimed at.
Both knees is typical, and treated one at a time
Arthritis rarely picks a side. GAE treats one knee per visit, usually starting with the one limiting you most.
Pain at rest or at night is a meaningful signal
Arthritis pain that follows you to bed usually points to inflammation rather than simple wear — and inflammation is fed by blood vessels, which is what GAE treats.
Stairs are usually the first thing to go
Going down stairs loads the knee far harder than walking on the flat, so it is often where people first notice the joint is changing.
Injections wearing off sooner is the pattern GAE is for
Steroid injections quiet inflammation for a while. When each round lasts less than the one before, it usually means the blood supply feeding that inflammation has not been addressed.
You have already worked through the first-line options
Medication and physical therapy are the right place to start. When they stop being enough, GAE sits between them and surgery.
Starting early keeps more options open
Nothing tried yet is a good position to be in. It means a consult can lay out the whole ladder rather than the last rung of it.
You do not have to decide about replacement today
GAE is an outpatient, non-surgical option that does not rule out a knee replacement later. It is a step you can take first, not instead.
Years of pain rarely settles on its own
Knee arthritis tends to progress slowly. Pain that has been there for years is worth understanding properly rather than waiting out.
Worth a closer look
Your answers do not point to anything urgent. That makes this an easy time to get a clear picture of what is happening in the joint.
You may be a good candidate for GAE
Your answers line up with the kind of lasting knee arthritis pain GAE is designed to relieve, especially when other options haven't worked. This isn't a diagnosis; the next step is a consultation with one of our specialists. Tell us where to reach you.
Let's take a closer look at your knee.
Your symptoms may be early, but they're worth understanding. A consultation with our specialists is the best way to learn whether GAE could help. This isn't a diagnosis, just tell us where to reach you and we'll follow up.
The benefits of GAE
- Awake, local numbing onlyOnly a small spot at the top of your thigh is numbed.
- No surgeryNo incision, no stitches.
- About 30 minutesOne outpatient visit.
- Home the same dayBack to light activity in a day or two.
- FDA-cleared technologyTiny Embosphere® Microspheres calm the inflammation.
- Keeps your cartilageYour own knee stays whole.
How GAE works
One outpatient visit, about 30 minutes, and home the same day.
-
1
A tiny pinhole
Your physician numbs a small spot at the top of your thigh and enters the artery through a pinhole. No incision, no stitches.
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2
Find the source
Live X-ray guides a thin catheter to the small genicular arteries around your knee that feed the inflammation.
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3
Calm the inflammation
Tiny FDA-cleared Embosphere® Microspheres slow that excess blood flow. Your knee’s normal circulation keeps working. Doctors have used these microspheres for decades to treat uterine fibroids, tumors and internal bleeding.
See inside a real patient’s knee
Knee arthritis isn’t only worn cartilage. Extra, leaky blood vessels grow around the joint lining and keep it inflamed, and that inflammation drives the pain.
These are actual angiograms from a real Empire Vein & Vascular patient. On the left, a dense tangle of overgrown vessels crowds the knee. On the right, after GAE, that excess flow is calmed. Less inflammation means less pain, and your knee itself was never touched.
An alternative to knee replacement
Choosing GAE doesn’t rule out a knee replacement later.
| GAE | Injections | Knee replacement | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimally invasive | ✓Yes | ✓Yes | ✕No |
| Long-term pain relief | ✓Yes | ✕No | ✓Yes |
| Preserves knee cartilage | ✓Yes | ✕No | ✕No |
| Recovery time | Days | Days | Months |
| Hospital stay | ✕No | ✕No | ✓Yes |
| Risk of major complications | Low | Low | Higher |
Is GAE right for you?
You may be a good fit if…
- You have moderate to severe knee osteoarthritis
- You’re not ready for, or want to avoid, knee replacement surgery
- Pain continues despite injections, medication, or physical therapy
- You want a minimally invasive option with a faster recovery
What patients often notice after
- Reduced knee pain during everyday activities
- Greater ease walking, climbing stairs, and staying active
- Improved mobility and flexibility
- A chance to delay or avoid future knee surgery
Meet your GAE specialist
Dr. Pushpinder Sivia
President, Empire Vein & Vascular Specialists
“For the right patient, GAE can mean years of relief without ever stepping into an operating room. Helping people get back to the things they’d given up on, that’s the part of this work I love most.”
- 800+GAE procedures performed
- Board-Certified Vascular Surgeon
- Top Physician, Palm Springs Life, 2025 and 2026
Questions about GAE
What is GAE, and how does it work?
GAE, or genicular artery embolization, is a minimally invasive outpatient treatment for knee osteoarthritis pain. The genicular arteries are the small arteries that wrap around the knee. In osteoarthritis they overgrow and inflame the joint lining, and that inflammation is a major driver of pain. Through a pinhole at the top of the thigh, your physician guides a thin catheter to those arteries and releases FDA-cleared Embosphere® Microspheres, soft gel spheres that slow the abnormal blood flow. Your normal arteries stay intact. Doctors have used these same microspheres for decades to treat uterine fibroids, tumors and internal bleeding.
Does GAE remove or damage my cartilage?
No. Nothing is cut, removed or replaced. A knee replacement cuts away bone and cartilage for an artificial joint; GAE only calms the inflammation, so your own knee stays whole and every other treatment stays open to you.
Does GAE hurt?
You stay awake, and only a small spot at the top of your thigh is numbed, so the procedure itself is generally painless. Afterward, some people notice mild soreness or bruising for a few days, which is usually managed with over-the-counter medication.
What is recovery like?
Most people go home the same day and return to light activity within a day or two. Pain usually begins to ease within days and keeps improving over the following weeks.
How long does relief last, and can GAE be repeated?
In studies, most patients report significant relief lasting two years or longer. That’s years, not the weeks you’d get from a typical injection. Because nothing is removed, GAE can be repeated if symptoms return.
What does the research say?
More than a dozen clinical studies support GAE, including randomized controlled trials. In May 2026 the Society of Interventional Radiology called GAE safe, durable and joint-preserving for people with knee osteoarthritis whose pain hasn’t improved with conservative care, and called for larger randomized controlled trials.
Is GAE covered by insurance?
Coverage is growing as GAE becomes more established. Many plans, including Medicare, IEHP and most PPOs, cover it for the right candidate. Our team checks your benefits before anything is scheduled, so you know where you stand. See all plans we accept.
Get back on your feet, without surgery.
Find out if GAE is right for your knee pain in a single consultation.