"A nonsurgical treatment could improve quality of life for patients with knee pain due to osteoarthritis according to new research presented today at the Society of Interventional Radiologys  Annual Scientific Meeting.  In the first U.S. clinical trial on geniculate artery embolization GAE a minimally invasive imageguided treatment that blocks key arteries in the knee to reduce inflammation and pain resulted in a majority of study participants achieving significant pain reduction and improvements in range of motion avoiding more invasive measures.  A majority of our patients with osteoarthritis of the knee saw significant pain reduction not only just a few days after the procedure but a month after as well making this an accessible treatment for patients looking to improve their quality of life without surgery said Sandeep Bagla M.D. director of interventional radiology at the Vascular Institute of Virginia and lead author of the study. We are very encouraged by the results and the implications for the millions suffering from this common yet debilitating condition.  Interventional radiologists perform GAE for knee pain by inserting catheters through a pinholesized incision blocking the very small arteries or capillaries within the lining of the knee reducing the inflammation caused by osteoarthritis. As an outpatient treatment GAE does not require open surgery or physical therapy and takes  minutes to perform.  This prospective multicenter clinical trial evaluated  patients with severe osteoarthritis pain. Each patients pain and disability were measured along two scales with evaluations before and after the treatment. The treatment was successfully completed in all  patients with no adverse events. One month later researchers followed the progress of eight patients and found that GAE significantly decreased pain  mm on the Visual Analog Scale reduced stiffness and increased physical function . on the Western Ontario and McMaster University Osteoarthritis Index. Together the scales represent an  percent improvement in function compared with preprocedure conditions.  This procedure could have a significant impact in the treatment of osteoarthritis pain as a whole said Bagla. The current mainstay of treatment in patients who have arthritis are pain medications which come with significant side effects and risks. But GAE provides another option for patients struggling with pain and may even allow patients to avoid the painful recovery of knee surgery and the need for the kind of opioid pain medications associated with the dangerous epidemic in the United States.  This study builds on the growing international research around GAE and osteoarthritis. While preliminary data shows that the treatment does work and is feasible it has only been used in a clinical trial setting. The study has completed enrollment of  patients and final results are expected in summer . A second randomized controlled clinical trial began in February  and will provide further data on what types of patients are the best candidates for this treatment and how it could move toward clinical practice.  Abstract  Geniculate Artery Embolization GAE for Osteoarthritis OArelated Knee Pain Interim Results from a Multicenter US Trial. S. Bagla R. Piechowiak T. Hartman J. Orlando A. Isaacson Vascular Institute of Virginia Woodbridge VA UNC Chapel Hill Chapel Hill NC University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. SIR Annual Scientific Meeting March  . This abstract can be found at sirmeeting.org http  About the Society of Interventional Radiology  The Society of Interventional Radiology is a nonprofit professional medical society representing more than  practicing interventional radiology physicians trainees students scientists and clinical associates dedicated to improving patient care through the limitless potential of imageguided therapies. SIRs members work in a variety of settings and at different professional levelsfrom medical students and residents to university faculty and private practice physicians. Visit sirweb.org http The Society of Interventional Radiology is holding its Annual Scientific Meeting March   at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles Calif. Visit sirmeeting.org http"