GAE is a new procedure, first developed in Japan, that treats knee pain from arthritis. It is similar to getting a steroid injection in the knee except that more reliably reduces pain and can keep the pain away for years instead of several months.
It is performed by placing a tiny catheter into the artery at the top of the leg and guiding it down to the knee using x-ray. Images of the knee arteries are then taken that show where there are areas of inflammation that are causing pain. An even tinier catheter is then used to gently reduce the blood flow to these inflamed areas. This results in reduced pain in the knee within several days.
This is an outpatient procedure that usually takes 1 -1.5 hours. It is not painful, and only minimal sedation is required. Recovery is quick with only mild limitations for several days after the procedure. Most people return to work within a day or two.
Dr. Sandeep Bagla and I were the first physicians in the US to research this procedure and we recently published a landmark paper about this procedure demonstrating that the pain reduction and improved function after GAE are much greater than placebo, confirming the value of the procedure.
If you would like to learn more about GAE and whether it might be beneficial for you, please contact us through the Prostate Centers USA website. We'd be glad to set up a phone call to discuss it with you.
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