Genicular RFA. Any input helpful!

[Dr. Ice]

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If rfa fails, they as far as I’m concerned, can either live with it or move on to a pain doc who wants to fight insurance companies and the patient when whatever is left doesn’t work. I’m too many years in and just can’t be bothered so much anymore

 

[Tramadeezy]

Genicular artery embolization? Saw a patient the other day who had it done with IR. Great results

 

[bedrock]

Genicular artery embolization? Saw a patient the other day who had it done with IR. Great results

Good idea. Similar to Dr Ice, I try to not mess with knees if I can help it. The embolization is a great idea.

BTW, is the embolism ok on pre TKA knees or only for painful knees post TKA?

It would seem that ablating the blood supply to the knees would cause necrosis of a native joint?

 

[MitchLevi]

Can someone explain how that would work?

 

[Tramadeezy]

Can someone explain how that would work?

Found this video. Procedure explanation starts around 5 minutes. Procedure apparently takes 2 hours which is kind of crazy, looks pricey.

 

[bedrock]

Found this video. Procedure explanation starts around 5 minutes. Procedure apparently takes 2 hours which is kind of crazy, looks pricey.

Thank you. That is very helpful!

It looks safe for native knees. But after watching the explanation in that video, now I’m wondering how well genicular artery embolization works for painful knees post TKA??

Agree that it is likely pricy for a 2 hr procedure. However if Medicare wants to skimp on what they pay for genicular RFA, then I can just send people to IR for genicular embolization and maybe it costs Medicare much more. But that is Medicare’s fault for offering peanuts to pain docs.