Tiny particles in knee arteries could offer new pain relief for arthritis
NCT ID NCT07537153
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jul 15, 2026 · Updated 4 times
Summary
This study tests a procedure called Genicular Artery Embolization for people with mild-to-moderate knee osteoarthritis. Doctors inject tiny particles into arteries that supply the knee lining to reduce blood flow and hopefully ease pain. Fifteen participants will be followed for three years to check safety and effectiveness.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Embosphere Microspheres (tiny particles injected into knee arteries)
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could offer a new, minimally invasive option to ease knee pain and improve function for people with mild-to-moderate osteoarthritis.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very small, early-phase study with only 15 people, so results may not apply widely. Risks include pain, skin changes, or accidental blockage of other blood vessels.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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About 15 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Jul 2026
- Expected to finish
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Apr 2031
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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40 to 80 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
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Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Age 40-80 years * Mild-to-moderate knee OA as determined by radiographs demonstrating Kellgren- Lawrence grade 2-3 * Self-reported pain of at least 5/10 VAS questionnaire * Failure of conservative therapy, such as pain medications, for at least 3 months * Patient must understand and sign the informed consent * Patient can comply with the proposed follow-up schedule * Patient can follow the post-operative management Exclusion Criteria: * History of rheumatoid arthritis * Renal insufficiency precluding angiography (GFR \< 50 mL/min) * Irreversible coagulopathy * Previous knee arthroplasty on the intended knee * Existing knee joint infection * Kellgren-Lawrence grade 1 or 4 * Severe atherosclerosis as manifest by claudication and/or diminished peripheral pulses * Life expectancy \< 6 months * Infectious arthritis * Allergy to iodinated contrast resulting in anaphylaxis * Pregnant or interested in becoming pregnant three months from the date of the GAE procedure * Involved in litigation or worker's compensation claims
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Northwestern University
RECRUITINGChicago, Illinois, 60611, United States
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