by Stephen Beech via SWNS
A new jab eases the agony of arthritis in the knee – without having to resort to surgery, according to a new study.
Scientists say the “minimally invasive” procedure may prevent the need for knee replacement surgery for millions of people with osteoarthritis, as well as providing “significant” pain relief.
The degenerative condition is the most common cause of chronic joint disorders with knee osteoarthritis affecting more than 365 million adults globally, according to the World Health Organization.
Most currently available therapies – such as pain medication and steroid injections – only mask the symptoms of osteoarthritis, and don’t slow progression of the disease.
As osteoarthritis worsens and treatments become ineffective, many people turn to joint replacement surgery.
Doctors say the new treatment, called genicular artery embolization (GAE), is an innovative minimally invasive therapy for patients with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis.
They explained that genicular arteries have several branches that form a network around the knee joint.
Those vessels are altered in patients suffering from osteoarthritis.
In GAE, an interventional radiologist injects small particles into selected branches that correspond to the site of knee pain to block blood flow to that area.
The German research team explained that embolization of the abnormal blood vessels helps to disrupt the cycle of inflammation, cartilage destruction and sensory nerve growth that characterizes osteoarthritis.
Study lead author Dr. Florian Fleckenstein, of Charity University Hospital Berlin, said: “This study addresses osteoarthritis, which is a significant public health issue and the leading cause of chronic pain and disability worldwide.
“With millions of people affected by knee osteoarthritis, particularly in aging populations, finding effective, minimally invasive treatments is critical.”
For the study, Dr. Fleckenstein and his team analyzed 403 cases of patients with moderate to severe knee osteoarthritis that didn’t respond to conservative treatments.
All the patients, aged 40 to 90, underwent GAE at the hospital in Berlin.
The study was designed to evaluate both the safety and efficacy of GAE across a wide range of osteoarthritis cases.
The effectiveness of the procedure was measured using standardized scores, which measure pain and quality of life, at the outset and during follow-up visits at six weeks, three months, six months and one-year post-procedure.
Technical success was achieved in all of the procedures.
Temporary slight skin discoloration and mild knee pain immediately after the procedure were noted in 18% of the cases, but no severe complications were reported.
The quality-of-life index and pain score improved by 87% and 71%, respectively, one year after the procedure.
The research team say their findings show that GAE is a “safe and effective” treatment option across all severity grades of knee osteoarthritis, including advanced cases where other treatments have very limited effect.
Dr. Fleckenstein said: “Our study found that GAE can effectively reduce knee pain and improve quality of life early after the treatment, with these benefits being maintained over the long term, especially for people who haven’t had success with other treatments like physical therapy or pain medications.
“This could potentially offer a new lease on life for many patients who suffer from debilitating pain and mobility issues, caused by osteoarthritis.”
The study also showed that GAE is “particularly effective” in the early stages of knee osteoarthritis.
The research team say that indicates that early intervention could potentially delay or even prevent disease progression, reducing the need for more invasive treatments, such as knee surgery.
They hope that the study could influence medical practice and policy, encouraging broader adoption of GAE worldwide.
Dr. Fleckenstein added:“GAE has the potential to reduce the need for more invasive surgeries, lower health care costs and significantly improve the quality of life for countless individuals suffering from knee osteoarthritis.”
The findings were presented at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) in Chicago.
