Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a progressive joint disease that causes pain, stiffness, and limited motion due to cartilage breakdown. Patients often rely on over-the-counter pain relievers, steroid injections, and prescription pain medications. Some think surgeries like partial or total knee replacement surgery are the only option and many suffer to avoid invasive surgeries that require time away from work, family, long-time recovery and ongoing physical therapy. What most don’t know is that there are minimally invasive alternatives to treat osteoarthritis knee pain.

A Minimally Invasive Alternative: Genicular Artery Embolization (GAE)

Dr. Kevin Carson of the Georgia Vascular Institute specializes in minimally invasive treatments, including Genicular Artery Embolization (GAE), a non-surgical option for individuals suffering from chronic knee pain. He is referred by past patients and doctors for his niche expertise.

GAE is a procedure that reduces inflammation to the knee by limiting blood flow to the area through a medical technique called embolization. Embolization is a procedure that is routinely done in other parts of the body, such as for the treatment of uterine fibroids. The minimally invasive GAE procedure enables patients to experience long-term improvement in knee pain. Some people experience complete resolution, while most report a decrease in pain, improved mobility, and a better quality of life. The procedure is outpatient. Patients typically take two days off from work after GAE for recovery and most patients experience maximum improvement after two months.

While the GAE procedure has been widely used globally, primarily in Europe, for over two decades and has been gaining traction in the United States, most insurance plans do not cover the procedure.

To help change that, Dr. Carson, who is an award-winning interventional radiologist, was selected by Merit Medical Systems based on his extensive expertise and reputation to participate in a clinical trial for the treatment of symptomatic knee osteoarthritis (OA) to bring this to patients.

MOTION Clinical Trial for Knee Osteoarthritis Pain by Merit Medical Systems

The MOTION clinical trial by Merit Medical Systems is a randomized control trial comparing genicular artery embolization (GAE) using the company’s Embosphere microspheres versus corticosteroid injections for chronic knee pain caused by osteoarthritis.

The Merit study is designed to enroll up to 264 adults with symptomatic knee OA across medical centers in North America, Brazil, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. The study evaluates safety and effectiveness with continued patient follow-up through 24 months.

Utah-based Merit Medical Systems, Inc. is a leading manufacturer and marketer of proprietary disposable medical devices used in interventional, diagnostic, and therapeutic procedures and serves client hospitals and physicians worldwide.

The goal of the study is to expand insurance coverage for GAE in the future by demonstrating its effectiveness as an alternative to traditional knee surgery.

Learn more about the MOTION study here.

Dr. Carson is Now Accepting Patients for a Clinical Trial Covering GAE

We are currently interviewing patients to determine their eligibility for this study at Georgia Vascular Institute in Atlanta. If you qualify, this means that:

• Your procedure may be covered in full or partially by the clinical trial.
• You’ll receive the same high-quality care that we are known for.
• You’ll be paving the way for future patients to access GAE through their insurance.

If you’re dealing with chronic knee pain from osteoarthritis and want a non-surgical alternative, this may be the right opportunity for you.

Contact our office to schedule a consultation by calling (707) 506-4007.