Genicular Artery Embolisation for OA Knee and Haemarthrosis

Hemarthrosis is characterized by hemorrhage within the knee joint. Patients with knee hemarthrosis often present with a painful, warm, stiff, and swollen knee.

GAE is performed usually as a daycare procedure or may need one day admission. Angiography is performed to identify the appropriate genicular branches supplying the regions of hyperemia near the radiopaque marker (synovial blush). The abnormal genicular branches may be hypertrophied relative to unaffected branches. A microcatheter (1.7–2.4-F) is then advanced superselectively into the genicular arteries.

After the location of the microcatheter is confirmed within the target vessel, embolic material is delivered until appropriate pruning of the neovascularity is visualized and pathologic hyperemia is resolved.

The most common adverse events with GAE were transient skin discoloration, knee pain , access site hematoma, and rarely focal skin ulcer.