Tiny spheres aim to ease knee arthritis pain without surgery

NCT ID NCT04682652

Ongoing Symptom relief Sponsor: University of California, Los Angeles Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 24, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This study tests a procedure called genicular artery embolization (GAE) for knee osteoarthritis pain. It involves injecting microscopic spheres into a knee artery to reduce blood flow and inflammation. About 100 people with moderate to severe knee pain will be randomly assigned to receive GAE or just observation. The goal is to see if GAE provides significant pain relief compared to no treatment.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: Embozene MicroSpheres (tiny spheres injected into knee artery to reduce blood flow)
What this could lead to: If it works, this could offer a new, minimally invasive option for knee osteoarthritis pain relief without surgery.
What could go wrong: This is a relatively small, early-stage trial. The procedure is experimental, and results may not apply to all patients. Risks include potential complications from the angiogram and embolization.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Chronic Pain osteoarthritis, knee

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

DEGENERATIVE JOINT DISEASE OF KNEE KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS

Contacts and locations

Locations

UCLA Santa Monica Hospital

Santa Monica, California, 90404, United States

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