Knee artery blocking procedure and joint fluid changes in knee osteoarthritis
Tests genicular artery embolization for knee pain and inflammation in adults with knee osteoarthritis.
Key facts
- Who runs it
- University of Colorado, Denver
- Where
- Aurora, United StatesSee the site
- Trial code
- Registry title
- Evaluating Changes in Synovial Fluid Before and After GAE for Knee Osteoarthritis
- Status
- Recruiting
- People taking part
- 46 people, planned
- Started
- 16 Jul 2025
- Expected to end
- Jul 2028
- Type of study
- Interventional
- Treatments tested
- GAE procedure
- Record updated
- 24 March 2026
Who can take part
AI summary
From the trial's eligibility criteria. Machine-read from the registry text on this page, so it can be wrong. The registry text below and the trial team decide who can take part.
The trial is looking for adults with knee osteoarthritis who are already planned to have genicular artery embolization (GAE). GAE is a procedure that blocks small blood vessels in the knee to reduce pain.
- Age
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All sexes
- Disease stage
- Osteoarthritis seen on a knee X-ray within the last 6 months (Kellgren-Lawrence score 1-3). Moderate to severe knee pain (VAS >3) for at least 6 months. BMI < 35 kg / m2.
- Earlier treatment
- Pain did not get better with usual non-surgical treatments, or these could not be tolerated (e.g. pain medicine, exercise, weight loss, joint injections, physical therapy). People who had a steroid injection into the knee within 2 months, a knee replacement in that knee, or earlier leg embolization cannot join.
- Biomarker or test result
- At least 3 mm of joint fluid in the knee on MRI or ultrasound is needed.
Main reasons for not taking part
- Bleeding problems not corrected by treatment (INR >1.8 and platelets <50 x 10^9/L), or blood thinners that cannot be safely stopped
- Allergy to iodine contrast dye that steroid pre-treatment does not control
- Active knee infection or a new knee injury needing surgery
- Kidney problems with eGFR<45 ml/min in people not already on hemodialysis
- Pregnancy or plans to become pregnant within 6 months of the procedure
The registry criteria, word for word
Show all 22 criteriaShow less
Who can take part
- Age ≥ 18 years
- Planned to undergo genicular artery embolization to treat knee osteoarthritis
- Osteoarthritis on knee radiograph (Kellgren-Lawrence score 1-3) within the last 6 months
- Persistent moderate to severe knee pain (visual analog scale [VAS] >3) for at least 6 months
- Pain refractory or intolerant to conservative therapies (e.g. analgesia, exercise, weight-loss, joint injections, physical therapy)
- BMI < 35 kg / m2
- Stated willingness to comply with study procedures and availability for the duration of the study
Who cannot take part
- Acute knee injury with surgical indication (MRI evidence of acute fracture or ligamentous injury of the knee)
- Prior total or partial knee replacement in the subject knee
- Intra-articular steroid injection within 2 months
- Patients who have undergone previous lower extremity embolization
- Allergy to iodinated contrast agents not responsive to steroid premedication regimen
- Active knee joint infection
- Untreated lower extremity vascular arterial disease
- Untreated venous insufficiency
- Presence of medical condition with life expectancy less than 6 months
- Coagulation disturbances not normalized by medical treatment (INR >1.8 and platelets <50 x 10\^9/L)
- Receiving medications for anticoagulation which cannot safely be held for the procedure (e.g ASA for 5 days, Lovenox for 24 hours, Eliquis for 4-6 days depending on creatinine clearance
- Patients with renal insufficiency based on an estimated GFR<45 ml/min who are not already on hemodialysis
- Patients who are pregnant or intend to become pregnant within 6 months of the procedure
- American Society of Anesthesiologists classification > 3
- Less than 3 mm of synovial fluid in the lateral suprapatellar recess on MRI or US
Where in United States
- University of Colorado Anschutz Medical CampusAurora, United StatesContact: Shireen Shikak, BSTaking people
About the trial
What the trial wants to find out
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if genicular artery embolization (GAE) can improve knee pain and decrease inflammation in adults with knee osteoarthritis. The main question it aims to answer is:
Read full original descriptionShow less
- Does the GAE procedure improve knee pain and decrease inflammation?
Researchers will compare synovial fluid samples taken from the knee before and after the procedure.
Participants will:
* Have a contrast enhanced MRI before and after the procedure * Complete performance-based measures before and after the procedure * Complete questionnaires before and after the procedure
The group in the trial
- GAE procedureOther group
Participants undergoing the GAE procedure will have synovial fluid sampling, performance-based measures and contrast-enhanced MRI before and after the procedure.
Questions to ask the study team
- How often do I need to come in, and for how long each time?
- Are travel costs paid?
- Can I keep my own doctor?
- What happens if I want to stop?
Contact the study team: see the registry record → Contacts and Locations
Print a page for my doctorData and sources
- Registry record
- Listed on ClinicalTrials.gov.
- Official title
- Genicular Artery Embolization for Knee Osteoarthritis: Evaluation of the Correlation Between Subjective Symptom Response and Objective Measures of Inflammation
- Plain-language title
- Knee artery blocking procedure and joint fluid changes in knee osteoarthritisGenerated from the registry record. The registry title is the official one.
- AI summary
- From the trial's eligibility criteria. Read by machine on 14 November 2026.
- Record updated
- 24 March 2026