A minimally invasive procedure provides a nonsurgical option for patients with persistent knee pain

Rutgers Healthexperts have expanded treatment options for knee osteoarthritis, a condition caused by the gradual breakdown of knee cartilage because of obesity, injuries, genetics or aging, often leading to chronic pain and limited mobility.

Genicular artery embolization, a minimally invasive procedure led by Rutgers Health experts at University Hospitalin Newark, not only provides a pathway of hope and healing for patients with chronic knee pain: The procedure also provides a technologically advanced, nonsurgical alternative - positioning Rutgers Health among the region's earliest academic medical centers to deliver this sophisticated, image-guided treatment for knee osteoarthritis.

Abhishek Kumar, chief of vascular and interventional radiologyand an associate professor of radiology at Rutgers New Jersey Medical Schoolpracticing at University Hospital, discusses how the procedure works, its benefits and how it has transformed patient care.

Explain what genicular artery embolization is and how it works.
It's a minimally invasive procedure designed to reduce knee pain caused by osteoarthritis. Instead of operating on the joint itself, we target the tiny arteries that feed inflammation around the knee. Using a catheter, the width of a piece of spaghetti, we go through a small pinhole in the skin and gently block those abnormal vessels. By reducing that excess blood flow, we quiet down inflammation, which can dramatically lessen pain and improve mobility. In simple terms, it's like pruning overgrown branches on a tree so the rest of the tree can thrive again.

What makes this procedure different from conventional treatments for osteoarthritis pain?
Typical treatments like injections, anti-inflammatory medications, or even joint replacement, focus on either masking pain or replacing the joint entirely. Genicular artery embolization treats the source of the inflammation without surgery. There are no incisions, implants and hospitalization. It fills the gap between conservative treatments and knee replacement - giving patients a meaningful option when injections have stopped working but surgery feels too early or too invasive.

How long has the procedure been available at University Hospital and why is it important that it's being offered here?
We began offering genicular artery embolization at University Hospital in 2024, making us one of the first major academic medical centers in the region to do so. Having this procedure at University Hospital is important because it brings cutting-edge, image-guided pain therapy into a trusted academic setting. Patients benefit from a hospital that combines advanced imaging technology, a multidisciplinary team and a commitment to safety and outcome.

Tell us about the patients who can get this procedure, discuss the recovery time since it's minimally invasive, and explain how this is a breakthrough for people with osteoarthritis pain.
Genicular artery embolization is ideal for patients with moderate to severe knee osteoarthritis whose pain persists despite medications or injections, especially those who aren't ready for surgery or who can't have one for medical reasons. Recovery is quick. Patients go home the same day, resume normal activity within 24 to 48 hours and notice steady improvement in pain over weeks to months. It's a breakthrough because it gives patients hope and mobility without the risks or downtime of major surgery. For many, it's life-changing because they get their quality of life back.

Can you discuss the expertise of the Rutgers New Jersey Medical School team and how performing the procedure at University Hospital benefits patients in terms of advanced technology and outcomes?
At Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, our interventional radiology team is nationally recognized for innovation in image-guided procedures. We perform complex vascular and oncologic interventions every day and that experience translates directly into safety and precision for our genicular artery embolization patients. University Hospital provides state-of-the-art angiography suites, the same technology used for heart and liver procedures, and our physicians are involved in national research shaping the future of embolization therapies.

Patients using Rutgers Health and University Hospital for their care benefit from a truly comprehensive approach to joint pain. Our multi-disciplinary team's focus goes beyond pain management. Our goal is to restore movement, independence, and confidence - no matter if you're seeing us for orthopedics, sports medicine, or advanced image-guided therapies like genicular artery embolization.