If you are searching for a clinic that specializes in non-surgical knee treatment, what you need is a practice that offers more than one option and will tell you honestly which one fits your knee.
In the Puget Sound area, that includes genicular artery embolization, or GAE, which reduces osteoarthritis knee pain without cutting, without steroids, and without a joint replacement. Sound Vascular & Vein performs GAE in Federal Way.
What Counts as Non-Surgical Knee Treatment
Knee osteoarthritis wears away the cartilage cushioning the joint, and the pain builds slowly enough that most people adjust around it for years.
Non-surgical care is a range, not a single treatment. It usually runs in this order:
- Physical therapy and activity changes
- Anti-inflammatory medication
- Cortisone injections
- Hyaluronic acid injections, sometimes called gel shots
- Radiofrequency ablation of the nerves around the knee
- Genicular artery embolization (GAE)
The first three are the core of most clinical guidelines for knee osteoarthritis, and they are available almost anywhere. The last two are not.
What to Look For in a Clinic That Specializes in Non-Surgical Knee Treatment
Image guidance on site. GAE and radiofrequency ablation are performed under real-time imaging, so the clinic needs both the equipment and the daily practice of using it.
An interventional radiologist. GAE is an interventional radiology procedure, and IR physicians spend their careers guiding catheters through blood vessels. Dr. Aparna Baheti is board-certified by the American Board of Radiology and fellowship-trained in vascular and interventional radiology.
Willingness to treat you before you are a surgical candidate. Many patients are told to wait until the knee is “bad enough.” A clinic that specializes in non-surgical options should have something to offer during that wait.
An evaluation, not a menu. You should leave your consultation knowing which option fits your knee, including the possibility that the right answer today is not a procedure.
Genicular Artery Embolization, Explained
GAE eases knee pain by reducing the blood supply that feeds inflamed tissue inside the joint. In its 2026 position statement, the Society of Interventional Radiology calls GAE a targeted, joint-preserving procedure performed by interventional radiologists that directly addresses the inflammatory and neurovascular components of knee osteoarthritis.
The specialist makes a small nick in the skin, usually at the wrist or groin, then guides a thin catheter to the genicular arteries around the knee using real-time imaging. Tiny particles are released into those arteries. With less blood reaching the inflamed lining of the joint, the inflammation settles, and the pain eases.
There is no big incision, no general anesthesia, and nothing removed or replaced. Patients go home the same day and return to normal activities shortly afterward. Relief builds gradually over the following weeks.
Want to learn more? Here are five reasons patients choose GAE over knee replacement.
Are You a Candidate for GAE?
Most people who come to us about GAE have several of these in common:
- Osteoarthritis knee pain lasting months or years
- Physical therapy, medication, or injections that helped for a while and then stopped
- Pain that limits walking, stairs, or sleep
- Hoping to treat the arthritis without surgery, or not a candidate for a knee replacement
- A wish to avoid repeated steroid injections
An exam and imaging tell us whether the pattern in your knee is one GAE can address. Results vary, and GAE is not the right answer for every knee.
What Our Patients Say
“I did the GAE procedure, and the process was very easy and very little discomfort. My medical team was so professional and very accommodating. I recommend to anyone struggling with knee pain.” J. T.
“I had a great experience with Dr. Baheti. She was very responsive to all my questions and explained the GAE procedure thoroughly. Post procedure, she was also very quick to respond. I feel my expectations are pretty high from my care team, and she exceeded them.” Terri P.
Individual results vary. Every outcome depends on the patient’s anatomy, symptoms, and overall health.
Read more patient reviews on our testimonials page.
Meet Dr. Aparna Baheti
Dr. Aparna Baheti, MD, RPVI, DABVLM, FSVM, is the interventional radiologist performing GAE at Sound Vascular & Vein. She also hosts the BackTable Vascular & Interventional podcast, where interventional radiologists across the country go to hear how their peers handle difficult cases, and has been named to South Sound Business magazine’s 40 Under 40.
“Dr. Baheti is thorough and kind, and I felt very safe with her recommendations. Highly recommend!” Maureen K.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best non-surgical treatment for knee osteoarthritis? There is no single best option. Physical therapy and medication are the usual starting point, and injections, radiofrequency ablation, and GAE are the steps after that. The right choice depends on how advanced the arthritis is and what you have already tried.
Who is a candidate for genicular artery embolization? GAE is generally considered for people whose knee pain has not responded to conservative treatment, and who are either not ready for a knee replacement or not a candidate for one.
How long does GAE take to work? Most patients go home the same day and resume normal activities shortly afterward, with improvement developing over the following weeks rather than immediately.
Is GAE covered by insurance? We accept most major plans, listed on our billing and insurance page. Coverage for a specific procedure depends on your plan, so the fastest way to know is to call and ask.
Talk to Us About Your Knee
If your knee is limiting what you do and the options you have been offered have run out, it is worth a conversation. An evaluation tells you where your knee actually is and which of these treatments, if any, fits.
Call our Federal Way office at (253) 874-7107, or reach out online to schedule a consultation.
This article is for education and is not medical advice. Talk with your physician about what is right for you.
